Young Justice: The New Generation (SYOC)
by D.sdb
Summary: With the previous team all grown up and working to be fully-fledged heroes on their own, the Justice League is looking to initiate new members into the Team with both Nightwing and Aqualad making sure these new recruits stay out of trouble. Little do they know, there are some villains that are closely following their lead. SYOC closed
1. Prologue

_23:19 EDT_

 _The Watchtower_

" _Recognized Nightwing, B01."_

Taking a deep breath, the Gotham hero stepped into the familiar satellite base of the League. It had been years since he had left The Team in Kaldur's hands. Years since Wally's death. Even after all this time, he wasn't sure if he was fully ready to manage The Team again, but Kaldur had insisted that this was something he needed his help with and Kaldur was never one to exaggerate. For this to work out though, Dick knew he would have to put all of the memories from those days and his personal feelings aside, even if his friend's death was still a wound that never quite healed.

As he made his way to the briefing room, he passed many familiar faces both young and old. Faces that he had trained and faces that he looked up to as a kid and still held a reverence for. It seemed like a lifetime ago when he was just a sidekick and a member of The Team, yet he could remember the first time he stepped into Mount Justice like it was yesterday. He changed a lot since then. They all had. It had been years since he last saw Connor, Megan, Kaldur, and Artemis. He'd mostly just catch small bits of news about their missions from passing conversations, but never anything substantial or anything that really mattered. He could have easily contacted them, asked how they were doing, but he never did and he didn't have a good enough reason for not doing so. Thinking about it now, he felt guilty for having drifted so far away from the people he had once saw as family in efforts to spare himself from future harm. Being a hero meant that you had to put the lives of others before your own. He knew that and so did Wally, but it didn't make the loss any easier.

Approaching the briefing room, the metal door slid open and Nightwing stepped inside, being the last to arrive due to some earlier trouble with Penguin and his goons. As he entered, Aqualad immediately crossed the room and the two clasped hands.

"Nightwing. It is good to see you again, my friend," the Atlantean greeted warmly.

"Yeah, you too. It's been way too long," Nightwing replied, a genuine and boyish grin pulling on his lips.

"I agree," he said, matching his smile before turning to the other occupants of the room. Batman and Martian Manhunter stood off to the side expectantly.

"Greetings, Nightwing. Let us go forward with this meeting then, shall we?" the Martian stated.

Batman stepped forward. "The previous team we assembled has grown out of their roles and are now taking on solo missions of their own. The Team has been vacant for a while now and we are in need of new members. We want you and Aqualad to recruit and manage this next group. Red Tornado and Black Canary will also be of assistance, but seeing as you two were members of the original team and know the strengths and weaknesses that come with new youths working together, we want you both to be the primary overseers."

Nightwing glanced from his friend to his old mentor, still quite confused, before stepping up. "But why do you need my help? Kaldur managed the previous Team just fine on his own. What's changed?"

"You know we would not have asked for your help if it was not necessary," Kaldur replied diplomatically, knowing that The Team was still a sore topic for him.

"With the previous team, we had members from the original team among their ranks. They were experienced, knew the way of the field, and we knew they were trustworthy. If we assemble a new team, however, there will no longer be that insurance. Some will lack the experience and the knowledge of the sacrifices one must make to be a hero, and others will have to gain the League's trust. Nevertheless, it is our duty to do what we can to help them hone their skills and abilities and prepare them as the next generation of heroes," Martian Manhunter explained as Batman turned on the large screen monitor.

The monitor lit up with life before displaying a map of the United States. The picture first zoomed in on Southern New York State before focusing on a forested, isolated mountain.

"We have set up Anvil Peak to be the new base for The Team," Batman stated. "You'll find that it has a very similar setup to the former base in Happy Harbor, with upgraded technology and security of course. This base, however, hasn't been compromised and is safe from enemy knowledge for the time being. It is perfectly isolated in the Appalachian Mountains as well so we don't need to worry about any civilian casualties if an incident similar to the one that took place at Mount Justice should occur."

The two younger heroes couldn't help but wince at the memory, but Nightwing was the first to speak. "Why not train them at The Watchtower like the others?"

"This is a fresh new group of kids and we're not sure if we can give them full clearance into The Watchtower just yet. Maybe, in time, but for now we will have to monitor their progress from afar. There are too many risks with inducting a completely new group. That's why we need you, Nightwing. We have a list of potential members in mind, but this group isn't like any of the previous ones. Some may have experience as sidekicks but others are troubled and need our guidance. This is not a job Kaldur can do alone. I'm counting on you to help him. I'm counting on you to help _them._ Can you do this?"

Kaldur placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him an understanding smile. He knew it wasn't necessarily the easiest thing for him to do. "We will understand if you decline the offer, but I know that these kids will greatly benefit from your help. The old team, they look up to you. I know this new group will do the same."

Nightwing sighed as he struggled with an internal debate. He was a hero. He was supposed to be brave and he couldn't keep hiding like this forever. Perhaps now was the time for him to move forward. Finally making up his mind, he stood straighter. "Who are the new recruits?"

A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of Batman's mouth as they turned back to the screen. A number of headshots and names illuminated the screen side by side, each face and expression vastly different from one another.

"These are the kids we have in mind."

* * *

 _02:37 EDT_

 _The Iceberg Lounge, Gotham City_

Thirty-seven minutes late. He was thirty-seven minutes late to a meeting at his own lounge. If he hadn't run into that bird boy menace he wouldn't be the next laughing stock among the villains. Employees and patrons alike scrambled out of the way as The Penguin stalked into The Iceberg Lounge, clearly roughened up and in a mood, and the boss in a mood was not one anybody wanted to further irritate.

At a brisk pace, he made his way through the twisting corridors before arriving at his private meeting room. Of course everybody else was already present, some looking very impatient and others looking quite at home like the Joker. Long before he entered the room, Oswald could already hear the clown's obnoxious cackle down the hall.

"Look who decided to show his pretty face!" The clown in question exclaimed from his seat, his feet kicked up on the mahogany table and streaking it with mud and what he could only assume was blood. Some people just didn't have an appreciation for the finer things in life. "Ooh, and what a mug it is! Got quite the shiner there, huh Cobblepot? Did you get mugged along the way?"

"What's black and white and red all over?" an amused Riddler joined in.

"Shove off," The Penguin grumbled angrily, dignifiedly taking his place at the table and immediately motioning for a glass of scotch. God, he needed a drink.

"Enough," Count Vertigo said with finality. "We have business here tonight." The villains seemed to sober up as a seriousness descended upon them. Seeing as he had their full attention, he continued. "With every day, the heroes and their brotherhood grow larger and stronger. They stand together and have become a formidable force - a force that we have allowed to grow too powerful for too long and now they have become our greatest threat… and we cannot possibly defeat the Justice League when we each stand alone."

"What exactly are you proposing?" Poison Ivy drawled from her seat.

"I mean to reinstate the Injustice League. Not only does the Justice League pose a threat, but The Light has proven to also be an enemy worth keeping an eye on as well. I am extending the invitation to everyone present to join me and my operations."

"Got some ideas rolling around in that head of yours, hmm?" The Joker spoke up. A crimson grin split across his pale face but his eyes glinted dangerously. "And what's in it for me? Last time I saw the likes of you, you were a free man while I took a lovely little trip to the good Asylum. If my memory serves me right, the others didn't do so hot either."

"We were mere puppets to The Light then. We answer to no one but ourselves now, and you might find it quite beneficial, Joker. A villain has many enemies including other villains, but with us you will find your allies when the heroes start picking us off one by one," he answered before turning to the others. "We can no longer stand apart and expect to survive. The Justice League and The Light are powerful forces that need to be balanced and none of us can do it alone."

"And as our first order of business, what would you have us do?" The Penguin questioned, always the shrewd businessman.

Vertigo eyed them all meaningfully with a critical eye before continuing. "We form a new team of villains. The Justice League have already began cultivating the next generation of superheroes, securing their numbers and ranks in the future. Unlike most villains, the heroes are already starting to work together and properly hone their potential at an early age. Perhaps not now, but in the future they will pose a serious problem as they will have an advantage their predecessors did not have."

"You're suggesting that we form a group of brats?" The Riddler questioned with a frown. "What are you investing in, Count?"

"I'm investing in our future and the balance of power," Vertigo clarified, finding it hard not to show his annoyance. "We are stronger together and I am insuring that the next generation of villains are ready to face their enemies with the same benefits the heroes' sidekicks get. I refuse to allow our legacy to be wiped out because we refused to adapt and take action now."

He keenly observed the room as the others quietly mulled over the proposal. After a beat, Ivy leaned back in her chair, having decided. "I'm in."

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," Riddler stated noncommittally.

The Penguin nodded. "To an investment for the future," he said, raising his glass and downing the rest of his scotch. The rest of the room seemed to be in agreement, each giving their approval.

With a smirk, Count Vertigo stepped forward. "I am appointing Ivy to recruit our newest members. Do you accept?"

"I do," the villainess replied with a sharp grin.

"I would have assigned Harley with you, but I'm afraid she will not be joining us."

"She will join," Ivy replied definitively. "Something just didn't settle well with her." The Joker either missed or chose to ignore the subtle glare she sent his way.

"Well, send Miss Quinn my regards. I leave the overseeing of our newest recruits to the two of you," he said before addressing the room once more. "Now, let us begin Project Genesis… I have a few potential candidates in mind."

* * *

 **A/N: Hi guys! Yes, so I'm doing a SYOC with both a hero group (The Team) and a villain group (Genesis). So this is my first SYOC in a while and my first YJ SYOC, but I'm hoping to hit the ground running. While I am trying to brush up on my Young Justice knowledge (mostly through Google and YouTube), I'm also a bit rusty so please if I mix something up or if you have any recommendations, let me know. I'm definitely open to suggestions! Seriously, I may be biting off more than I can chew, so I'll take all the help I can get. Before we get into the rules and the things you need to know (which I highly suggest you take a good look at before submitting even if it's an intimidating wall of text), I have some questions for you reviewers.**

 **1\. Kind of a lame first question, but how did you enjoy the prologue, cameos, and the writing style? Is there anything I need to work on for future chapters?**

 **2\. Which heroes and villains do you want to see make an appearance both YJ canon and non-canon? I'd love to also incorporate some comic book heroes and villains.**

 **===================RULES===============**

 **1\. I will be accepting characters through PM ONLY. While I love reviews, I will not accept any forms through the reviews to avoid cluttering the review section and to keep characters a surprise for everyone.**

 **2\. Reviewing and following/favoriting gives you a higher chance of being accepted as it'll let me know if you're committed to the story and keeping up with it. Seriously, usually only those who get accepted read the story. Don't just do a hit and run and take up a spot that someone who would have liked to see their character in this story could have had. I will usually have questions at the end of chapters, but it would be nice to not only give feedback on your character, but others as well.**

 **3\. You can submit as many characters as you like but I will try to accept only one character per author. Because of this, I don't recommend submitting twins or siblings as the characters created tend to be dependent on each other, which makes it harder for me to accept only one of them. I will make a small exception if you want to submit two characters on different teams.**

 **4\. I am only taking one sidekick per hero or villain, though I may make an exception if I like the characters enough (maybe stretching to two but no more than that). I don't want half a team of Batman or Nightwing sidekicks.**

 **5\. Title your submission subject box as [SYOC: Full name, Age, Alias] as it will be easier for me to organize everything.**

 **6\. PM me if you have any questions**

 **7\. Take time to create your character and most importantly, have fun. The better detailed, developed, and well-rounded characters will be accepted (I want pages of PM), though I will also consider how well I think the characters will go together.**

 **=============THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW==============**

 **1\. While there will be humor true to the show, it will also have darker tones. Don't be afraid to send in darker characters (especially villains), but also remember that they are only kids with less experience than the cannon heros and villains.**

 **2\. I will be taking sidekicks, trainees, and rogue recruits and I want a good mix of them on the teams. Keep in mind though that villains associated with The Light are also enemies of the Injustice League. I will also accept sidekicks and trainees of heroes/villains not mentioned in the show either such as Cyborg, Scarecrow, and Dollmaker so be creative!**

 **3\. I will not pair your character with a canon character or possibly not anyone at all depending on the OCs I get. While there is an opportunity for romance, I don't want the plot to be based around everyone's love life.**

 **4\. I will use and abuse your character. Please don't take it as character bashing, it comes with being a hero/villain. I will try to portray them well and give them their shining moments, but I will also develop them, change them, drag them through the mud, pick apart their weaknesses, and tear them apart. Depending on where I take this, there also may be character deaths later on.**

 **5\. This takes place a few years after canon, so while this revolves around entirely new teams, we may see cameos of previous canon characters. It also may deviate a bit from canon for the sake of the plot.**

 **6\. As I will be focusing on the plot, your character may or may not show up in a chapter or two depending on if their presence is required in the story. Nonetheless, reviews regarding the plot, writing, and other characters is much appreciated.**

 **7\. A submission count will be on my profile for males, females, bad guys, and good guys. It'll give you an idea of what I need as I want a good number for each category. I'm aiming for an even balance of males and females and good guys and bad guys. I will probably be taking around five main OCs per team give or take, but there are opportunities for side characters and cameos so don't lose hope if your character isn't initially accepted!**

 **8\. Submissions will close 6/9/16, so in a week. That date may be pushed forward or back depending on how many submissions I get. Keep an eye on my profile for any updates on that.**

 **9\. The form is on my profile. No copying and pasting on fanfiction and all that.**

 **Have fun guys, go break some eggs!**


	2. Important Update

Important Update:

Hey guys so I'm bumping the deadline up to TONIGHT. I've received so many really good submissions that it's becoming very hard to narrow down the final list to only ten OCs. I might even make a stretch to allow more OCs in.

Submissions will officially close 6/8/16 11:59 PM CT


	3. A Modest Proposal

A Modest Proposal

* * *

 _24:06 EDT  
_ _Star City_

Reaper looked down the barrel of his sniper, making sure to carefully line the scope with his target, a twenty-six year old Michael Walter who - his client thought he cared enough to inform him - was incapable of paying a long overdue debt. He had been tracking Mr. Walter for three days now as he moved from what he considered safehouse to safehouse. He scoffed to himself as he surveyed the young man who was lounging comfortably by the fireplace nursing a glass of brandy. His targets never had enough money to pay back their debts, but always had just enough to sit in the lap of luxury. It was a juxtaposition he could never fully wrap his head around. Not that he cared how they lived their lives. He was just here for the money.

"At least I don't have to gut him," he muttered to himself. "Okay, Walter. In three, two, one…"

Just as he was about to pull the trigger, a weight slammed against him from behind, causing his shot to go through the window and hitting the mantle piece three feet away from his target's head.

"What the fuck?" the angered assassin bit out as he kicked the red and black clad clown off of him.

"Oh sorry, kid," the blonde said pouting and rubbing her sore backside. Her thick Brooklyn accent contrasted against his slight Cajun. "Miscalculated that landin'. S'been awhile, ya know?"

"Don't care," he retorted, pulling out a handgun from his hip holster as he watched his target flee the room.

"Well ya asked!" she shouted after him as he jumped off the roof.

His feet hit the railing of the fire escape and he sprung up, rolling into the street. He groaned inwardly when he realized Harley Quinn was pursuing him intently. He couldn't exactly fathom why though, not that he had a lot of time to mull it over. Ignoring the sudden turn of events, he went after his target. Stepping into the streetlight, the two guards at the back door noticed him and open fired. He ducked behind a dumpster before peeking out and making two clean shots between both of their eyes, knocking both men down instantly.

"One. Two," he muttered to himself, counting bullets as he stepped out from behind his hiding spot and sprinted into the building.

"Hey Reapah kid, wait!" the clown hot on his tail called out from behind him.

"Busy Dollface!" he shouted back irritably as he shot down three more henchmen on the staircase and landing before they even had a chance to raise their weapons. "Three, four, five."

He took the stairs three at a time, inwardly cursing all the way. If the clown messed his up for him, he'd put a bullet in her head instead. Sprinting down the corridors, he caught the glimpse of a shadow turning the corner ahead of him and he sped up his pursuit. Clearing the corner, he had Walter in sight now and the man let out a startled cry as he saw the skull masked assassin coming for him. He stumbled into a side room, slamming the door, locking it, and barring it with a chair. With that, the frightened Michael Walter staggered backwards until his back hit the wall, shakily pulling out his own handgun to prepare for the inevitable. He wasn't quite sure what he was expecting, but a stillness settled upon the house - a calm before the storm so to speak… and that calm was abruptly interrupted when the door was blown off its hinges.

Reaper ran forward cutting through the smoke. With each shot Walter fired at him, he turned his body just enough to avoid being hit, but never gave up his pace until he slammed the man up against the wall. Walter began struggling then, clawing at him desperately and emptying his gun into the ceiling aimlessly. Having had enough of all this, Reaper twisted the man's arm around until he heard a crack and the man dropped his weapon.

"Please," Mr. Walter begged in tears now, trembling and practically pissing himself. "I don't have the money, b-but I'm coming to an inheritance when my old man kicks the bucket! Just give me more time."

"More time?" he questioned, his voice eerily distorted through his mask. Walter whimpered, feeling as though Death himself was looming over him. "You get what everybody else gets. You get a lifetime." With that, a shot rang out and Walter's body tensed up, letting out a strangled gasp before falling to the wooden floor in a crumpled heap. Blood pooled around his head, spreading and staining the expensive oriental rug beside him. "Six."

"Whatchya countin' Reapah?" an annoyingly high voice asked curiously as Harley darted into the room.

"What do you want, Quinn?" he demanded exasperatedly, pointing his gun at her now. He was still immensely pissed that she had interrupted his kill shot earlier and made him go through all this trouble. Bullets weren't exactly cheap.

The blonde squeaked, putting her hands up to show that she didn't mean any harm. "Calm down, I'm on your side. Geez, kids these days ah so serious." Seeing that the young assassin was still waiting for an answer, she perked up. "Oh yeah, so a big group of people sent me out to come find ya. It really took a sec 'cause you're all over the place with these missions and all that, but seein' as they real-ly wanted ya, I tracked ya down here."

He was initially taken aback by this, wondering if some other villains wanted to hire him for a mission. "Who's interested?"

"The Injustice League of course! Old Deathstroke recommended ya actually, so if ya got a beef, take it out on him."

"And what exactly do they want with me?"

"We're trainin' the next generation of villains. Gettin' a group of ya together to…"

"Not interested," Reaper deadpanned, putting his gun away and shouldering past her.

"Come on, kid," she called out, continuing to pester him. "We've got great connections, and in your type of business in particular, ya make a lot of really nasty enemies. We can help ya out of sticky situations latah."

"Piss off, clown. I have better things to do."

In hindsight, he probably should have taken into account that Harley Quinn had a pretty infamous reputation. One second he was leaving the scene of a crime, the next, a mallet was swinging at his head _hard._ He didn't even have time to stagger before she shoved him face-first up against the wall, pinning his arm behind his back in a bruising grip.

"Yeah, they told me ya probably would say somethin' like that. They've been keepin' a real good eye on ya, Mistah Reapah, and they like what they see," she said, giggling now as he struggled futilely. "Now they're offerin' ya a monthly stipend to keep ya happy as well as a couple grand for every successful mission. Think of it as us payin' ya for missions, kind of like ya doin' now. It's more than what you're gettin' out here doin' the dirty work of those loan sharks and gang bozos. So what do ya say, kid?"

He didn't immediately reply. Rather, he kicked off the wall, shoving her over a nearby table. Harley let out a startled gasp as she toppled over, but she quickly regained her bearings. It was enough time for him to pull a fully loaded gun on her though.

Just as she thought he was about to either shoot at her or run again, he spoke up. "You're saying I'll be paid to be on this… team?" his nose crinkling at the thought, but at this point the pros outweighed the cons.

Harley grinned widely, a sort of smile that came off as jubilant glee if you ignored the crazy in her eyes. "We know what ya like and are willin' to put our money where our mouth is."

Reaper seemed to mull this over, weighing his options, but eventually put his gun back in his holster with finality. "Deal."

* * *

 _01:49 EDT  
_ _Gotham City_

Archangel grunted as her body collided against the sewer wall, her head cracking against the wet brick. While Killer Croc was temporarily distracted, Batman took this opportunity to jump back into the brawl and land a few hits of his own. The young mentee groaned as she pushed herself up and felt around for the abrasion at the back of her skull. It was bleeding profusely as head injuries often did, but the wound was nearly healed now. While stitches was a problem far from her mind, her head still spinning. The stench of sewage didn't really help either and the number of showers she would have to take after this was another headache she would rather put off for now.

"Damn," she cursed, trying to shake off her disorientation. "I'm going to be feeling this in the morning."

Muscling through the pain, she pulled herself up and mentally prepared herself before charging back into the fight. Getting a running start, she built up enough momentum to land a good spin kick to the Croc's face just as the Batman sent him reeling her way. The villain let out an equally pained and angered growl as he was sent careening down the darker depths of the sewers. Archangel and Batman jumped back and waited in trepidation, ready for him to pounce from the shadows, but they were only met with silence. Lowering his stance, the bat vigilante motioned for her to follow him.

"You must always exercise caution when in enemy territory. We're at a disadvantage as this is Killer Croc's terf."

Archangel wrinkled her nose in disgust as her eyes scanned the tunnel and its many diverging passageways. "Good. He can keep it for all I care." Wading and being thrown around in knee high waste, she knew that she would need to get a new costume. At this point, nothing she was wearing was salvageable.

They heard the sound of the falls just as the current started to pick up. Eventually they came to the mouth of the tunnel where the sewage from other outlets drained out into a larger, deeper pool. Surveying the reservoir, Batman retrieved his grapple gun and shot it at the cross-beamed ceiling.

"Ride the line down after me."

"I could just jump down," she suggested, peering down at the drop.

"No. He might be waiting to ambush us down there. He is particularly fast in water, so a large pool like this would be the ideal advantage he's been waiting for."

"Well you know what they say. Age before beauty," she teased, nodding toward the outlet.

He didn't give her the satisfaction of a response as he descended the drop. Archangel watched as Batman carefully planted himself on the walkway encircling the dark pool. She couldn't quite make out how deep it was, but she knew for a fact she didn't want to be in there if the Croc was lurking in its depths. Batman was on high alert, but he gave her the signal to follow.

She stepped up to the edge, reaching for the line, but let out a frightened scream as a pair of thick scaly arms caught her in a bone-crushing grip. That scream soon became one of pain as the reptilian man latched his teeth down on her and ripped out a mouthful of her shoulder clean off the bone. Knowing she had to act soon or die, she mustered up all of her strength and threw him off her and down the hole.

He fell and a roar reverberated off of the sewer walls as Killer Croc and Batman engaged once more. Archangel finally collapsed, taking deep breaths to steady herself against the pain, but internally she was letting out a string of curses. She could feel her muscles rapidly regenerating to fill the gap that was left in her shoulder, but it didn't help much against the sharp searing pain shooting down her right side. A large drop she could take, a bullet she could muscle through, but having a chunk of her body being bitten off was a new sensation she wasn't quite used to, understandably.

It took a minute, but the agony was replaced with a lingering soreness once the muscles fully regenerated. She got up slowly, her head still throbbing from having hit it earlier and losing blood. Despite this hindrance, she was more ready than ever to get back into the fight to give the Croc a piece of her mind. Rolling her shoulder to test the new muscles and skin, Archangel straightened with a renewed determination before jumping off the edge, Batman's orders be damned.

As they traded blows, Killer Croc managed to snag a hold of Batman's cape, flinging him into the depths of the reservoir. He stood at the edge with a sharp-toothed grin, ready to dive in after him. He was so focused on Batman that he didn't notice the young vigilante descending upon him until her boots connected with his shoulders, knocking him down. Archangel tucked and rolled a little ways away, quickly jumping to her feet and unsheathing her retractable bo-staff at her hip to take on the villain that officially made it on her shit list. She didn't give him the chance to get up as she brought down the metal rod on his head. He let out another growl as he stumbled backwards on the ground, but he slithered back with just enough room to distance himself and regain his bearings accompanied with a new bloodlust. He bared his claws as he stood to his full height menacingly.

"You didn't taste too bad, little girl. How about I finish off the rest of you?"

"How about no?" Archangel retorted hotly just before throwing two smoke bombs at his feet.

He staggered backwards in a coughing fit and she used this moment of weakness to her advantage. She planted her staff into the ground and flung herself up and over his head. He didn't notice as she pivoted behind him and before he knew it, the girl was on his shoulders choking him with her staff crushed against his larynx. Having already pulled himself out of the water, Batman rejoined the fight, delivering multiple blows to Killer Croc while he was detained. The Croc thrashed and stumbled back, reeling once more. The lack of oxygen didn't help the black splotches in his vision as Archangel continued to keep him in a choke hold no matter how much he clawed at her. With that, Batman blasted him with a stun gun and a small explosive before dealing a final, well-placed hit to his already battered face. Archangel kicked off just as the villain collapsed, giving into unconsciousness. Despite knocking him down, both heroes stood in defensive stances, gauging the Croc's status. When it was evident he wasn't getting back up, Archangel relaxed and let out a sigh of relief as Batman went to secure him for the GCPD, starting with a metal muzzle.

"Man, I just want to go back to the Cave and crash. I still have a headache like you wouldn't believe," she said, rubbing the new skin on her right shoulder. It didn't hurt anymore but the Croc left a large, thread-bare hole in her jacket and suit. She could hardly believe he bit through the leather of her navy jacket so easily and she was glad he didn't go for something more vital.

"Not before getting that sewer stench off you. Alfred wouldn't take too kindly to that," the Batman deadpanned, the metal of the heavy shackles clicking in place. She groaned but already started looking for a way out of the sewer system. The sooner she got out of there the better. "This should keep him secure until Gordon transfers him to Arkham. I'll get him to the surface. You go on ahead. There's someone waiting for you at the Cave."

She perked up at this. "Who?" she asked, turning around but both the Bat and the Croc were gone. She nearly snorted, rolling her eyes. Even with a few hundred pounds of dead weight he had a way of slinking silently into the night.

When Archangel finally arrived back at the Cave, her first order of business was taking a long hot shower. Despite scrubbing furiously at her skin and washing her hair at least five times, she still felt grimey, but it was a big improvement. After she was done, she sauntered out of the showers in a fresh tank top and pants with a towel draped around her shoulders. When she stepped into the control room though, she was surprised to find both Batman and Nightwing waiting for her.

"Dick!" she greeted with a lazy grin. "I haven't seen you in a while. How've you been?"

He offered a smile in return and stepped forward. "Pretty good for the most part. I'm here for some League business actually."

"Well I'll leave you two to it then," she said, yawning and turning towards the exit. "I think I'm going to go pass out. Nice seeing you again."

"It concerns you, Riley."

She stopped and turned back, brow furrowing in confusion. "I didn't do something wrong did I?"

"No of course not," he said with a laugh. "The League is reinstating the Team."

She opened her mouth, but was at a loss for words. A giddiness bubbled up inside her at his implication. A wide grin broke out across her face as she quickly rejoined the two. "You don't mean…?"

"I do. The League wants you on the Team."

"But I've only been doing this for maybe a year and training with you guys for less."

"So this is a great way for you to work with other kids your age and see how well you do without Batman's counseling. Think of it as a step closer to becoming a full fledged hero. Besides, you're not really Robin material," he teased. "So what do you think? Is it something you think you're ready for?"

"Hell yeah it's something I'm ready for," she replied completely ecstatic and turned to Batman. "How long did you know about this? You know what? I don't care. I made the Team. Up top!" She wasn't even upset that the Batman left her hanging.

Nightwing laughed at her enthusiasm, remembering how excited he, Kaldur, and Wally were to be initiated onto the Team. "I'll make sure to get you the coordinates of the new base, though you could probably just zeta-beam there from the Cave. For now, we're still looking for the rest of the recruits. Kaldur's somewhere across the country looking for the others. I should probably be on my way soon too if we're going to be done in time to start next week."

"Where's your next stop?" she asked curiously.

"Dakota City," he said before taking his leave. He stopped at the door though, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, and you might want to hit the showers again. You reek."

* * *

 _15:15 GMT  
_ _London, England_

With her shopping bags in one hand, Mariska shuffled for the keys in her purse outside her apartment door. Finding the right key on the ring, she inserted it in and turned, only to stop short when she realized it was already unlocked. She tensed at this, but slowly put her keys back in her bag. Her amulet felt heavier on her neck as she mentally prepared for whatever was on the other side of the door.

Cautiously, she turned the knob and stepped inside. In the doorway, she put her bags down and with a flick of her wrist, the door shut and locked. She held her hands in front of her as she silently crept through her apartment, glancing from side to side, ready for a confrontation. While she expected a surprise attack from a robber or a hitman, she didn't expect to find a green-skinned woman making her potted vines flourish and spill over the table in the living room.

"And she returns," the redheaded intruder commented smoothly, looking up from her work.

"Get out," Mariska ordered lowly, ready to attack or defend if necessary.

The corner of her lip twitched in amusement but her eyes narrowed in annoyance as she stepped forward. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Poison Ivy and I have a proposition for you, _Mage_."

"I don't care who you are or how you know me. You're going to leave now or I'll make you."

The older villain scrutinized her for a moment, never taking her eyes off her. She slowly made a show of draping herself over the girl's couch to make it clear she wasn't leaving. "We're going to have to fix that mouth of yours. I'm sure the others would love to do the honors," she mused aloud, more to herself than Mariska before she suddenly frowned. "See the vine plant on the table, the fern hanging above the kitchen counter, and the climbing thorns on your neighbor's balcony? If you don't take a seat and listen like a civilized human being, you're going to find out what it's like to be impaled by all three. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Don't try my patience."

Mariska sized the woman up but reluctantly sat anyway, wanting to avoid a confrontation. She was trying to lay low and causing some permanent damage to her apartment was not the way to do that. Nonetheless, she hardly trusted the woman in front of her and was on high alert. "What do you want?"

Ivy smiled wickedly. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we? The Injustice League has noticed you. We want you on a team we are forming of new and younger recruits."

The girl scoffed, unimpressed. "I don't want anything to do with your little gang of children."

"Not at all that clever, are you?" she asked, causing Mariska's frown to deepen. "If you give it some thought I think that you'll find that you want to be on our team. We have what you're looking for."

"And what could you possibly offer me?" Mariska asked sarcastically.

"Power," Ivy answered simply, not missing how her eyes sharpened. "That's what you want isn't it? You wanted power, _recognition_ ; things the heroes couldn't give you, not enough to satisfy you anyway. You have ambition, I like that, but you'll never get anywhere on your own. You _need_ us. You need people who aren't afraid to take what they want. You need people who are willing to push the boundaries. We can give you that extra push you need." Seeing how Mariska was seriously contemplating her offer, Ivy continued. "And to sweeten the deal…"

The vines grew tremendously and reached out to a nearby bookshelf to retrieve a file the villainess had tucked away beforehand. The plant placed it delicately on the table between them before curling itself around the legs of the couch. Mariska suspiciously glanced from Ivy to the folder before her.

"What is this?"

"Information you wouldn't have if it weren't for the Injustice League," Ivy replied coolly, picking up the folder and flipping through it. "This holds some valuable information on your parents. No, not your rich adoptive mummy and daddy in London... Does the name Annika Bergstrom ring any bells?" Seeing that the girl tensed at the name, she tossed the folder back onto the table casually and stood once more. "We're not asking a lot of you, Mage. Just your cooperation and compliance. Really, this arrangement benefits you more than me."

Mariska didn't take her eyes off the folder, but gave a small nod. "Fine."

"Fine what?" Ivy asked curiously.

She looked up this time, her steely gray eyes clashing against Ivy's green ones harshly. "I'm in."

A slow smile crept onto Poison Ivy's lips at her response. "Good answer."

* * *

 _16:35 PDT  
_ _Malibu, California_

"Good, your control has improved tremendously," Aqualad heard Black Lightning comment as he entered the training room.

He stopped at the doorway, not wanting to interrupt and instead observed the potential recruit's abilities. In front of Black Lightning stood a tall and athletic-looking young man. Even though he wore yellow-lensed goggles, he could tell that the boy's eyes were a startling shade of blue that seemed to match the crackling electricity around him. Between his palms, he held and expanded a large stream of electricity.

"I think I have it," the youth stated tensely, manipulating the energy in the confines of his hands.

"Then let's try increasing the voltage," his mentor replied. He generated his own electrical current around himself and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, transferring his energy to the youth. The boy grunted at the increased power and he struggled to contain the energy as the electricity shifted from his hands down his arms and around his body. "Remember to breathe. The electricity will make you tense up and lose control if you don't think to relax."

With that command, the boy took a deep breath and focused, the energy slowly retreating back to his hands. "I need to send it somewhere soon."

"Shoot at the dummy then," Black Lightning instructed.

The boy pulled his arms apart, stretching the crackling energy before thrusting his arms forward, sending a concentrated bolt of lightning at the dummy across the room. A loud bang filled the room as the electricity met its target. The rubber dummy swayed back and forth, absorbing the hit, but the smell of burnt rubber lingered.

"Ah, Aqualad. Perfect timing," Black Lightning suddenly greeted, causing his trainee's head to swivel to the doorway.

"Hello Black Lightning," the Atlantean greeted, meeting the man halfway and shaking his hand.

"You two haven't met before. This is my mentee, Ba'al, the one I told the League about. Ba'al this is Aqualad."

The boy grinned and shook his hand. "Wow, Aqualad. I've heard a lot about you. I pretty much looked up to you and the League as a kid."

Aqualad nodded with a smile of his own. "It is an honor to be held in such reverence. Perhaps we will be working together in the near future then."

Black Lightning placed a hand on Ba'al's shoulder as the boy furrowed his brow in confusion. "I expressed to the League that I think you're ready to take a step forward in your training."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," he explained with a smile, "that you've been chosen to be one of the members on the new team."

"The new team... As in _the_ Team. As in the Team that you were on?" Ba'al asked, turning to Kaldur with a surprised expression.

"That is the one. The League thought it best that we assemble a new team and Black Lightning strongly recommended you as a potential member."

"Let me just say this again. You want _me_ to be on the _Team_?" he stressed, completely shell-shocked.

"Is it not something that interests you?"

"No!" he quickly interjected. "No, I mean... no as in it _is_ something that interests me, not no as in it doesn't interests me, because I'm definitely interested. It's just that… Wow, I'm just really surprised that you guys chose me, not that I'm ungrateful or anything. I'm honored actually, really honored."

"I am glad to hear that. Will you be joining us then?" Aqualad asked, mildly amused by the boy's shock and enthusiasm.

Ba'al looked back to his mentor who gave him a reassuring smirk. "You're more than ready, kid."

With that, he turned back to the Atlantean with a wide grin. "When do we start?"

* * *

 _21:29 EDT  
_ _Bl_ _ü_ _dhaven_

Sable made her way through the shadows of the docks, making sure to not be seen or heard. The docks of Blüdhaven were almost always crawling with criminals and goons waiting to pounce on unsuspecting victims who had lost their way, and she had no intention of being one of them. She knew when criminals were most active, the areas they frequented, and the gruesome things they did to people they caught in their web. That knowledge came with years of experience on the streets and having been the fly in that web before. The trick, she learned, was knowing where the spiders laid their traps and avoiding them.

Coming to a halt, she could only scoff when she arrived at the address. "A warehouse. How cliché," she muttered to herself as she looked for a way in. She never liked using the front door after all.

As she crept around the building, she noted how oddly quiet it was inside. Usually her employers would have several goons guarding the place as backup just for insurance. Finding a propped open window, she jumped up, just barely grabbing a hold on the ledge, and pulled her lithe body through the narrow space. Just as before, she cautiously maneuvered her way through the railed corridors overlooking an illuminated landing littered with crates, barrels, and lift machines. Sable came to a halt behind a metal pillar, peaking out to see if anybody would emerge, but no one did. She listened closely for any hushed whispers or shuffling feet, but the only thing she could hear was the constant buzzing of the industrial lights above. After ten minutes of silently and impatiently waiting, she figured that it was a dud and turned to make her way out of there, only to be greeted by a white-painted face staring intently at her only inches away from her own.

"Oh my god," Sable squeaked, nearly toppling over the railing.

"I was wonderin' what you were doin' since ya didn' come down," Harley said, putting her hands on her hips. "You kids ah really odd, ya know? But at least you ain't threatenin' to shoot my head off like Mistah Reapah. You'll meet him eventually, but he's no fun."

"Harley Quinn?" Sable asked incredulously.

"That's me, kid. And if what the League says about you is true, then you're Sable... Hey, ain't that some kind of ferret or somethin'?"

She groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose and ignoring Harley's rambling. "You didn't kill my client, did you?"

"Of course not, silly. I'm your client."

Her head snapped up at this. "Wait what?"

"And let me tell ya, your services ain't cheap, but don't worry. I'm payin' ya every penny I promised on that bid for ya to listen to me."

"What could you possibly want me to do that you can't?" she asked exasperatedly, still perturbed by the clown's presence.

"Ya see, the I.J.L is puttin' togethah a team. Somethin' about needin' to toughen up and unify the next generation of bad guys or whatevah. Old Count Vertigo is feelin' threatened by the Justice League and the Light, and he's got us convinced somethin' real bad's comin'. Well anyway, the League has spoken and they want you on the team. Got a fancy name for it and everythin'."

"And what's in it for me?" Sable asked, crossing her arms and leaning against the railing.

"You're like Reapah. You like money, and we got money. No more doin' petty crimes and sellin' out your abilities to the highest biddah - that's me by the way. The I.J.L is offerin' a handsome monthly pay check as an incentive, if ya will. Ya just have to get along with the others and do some trainin' and missions every once in a while. Nothin' too bad, in my opinion. So whatch'ya say Sable? Are you in or are you in?" the clown girl asked, sticking her hand out.

Sable stared at her hand for a moment but eventually gripped in her own. "You've got yourself a deal, Quinn… Now let's talk about those checks..."

* * *

 _17:52 EDT  
_ _Dakota City_

"Come on, just a little hint?" Mark pried as he and Raquel continued down the street.

"Nope! It's a surprise. Trust me, you'll thank me later," his mentor of six months promised.

"I really have no idea what it could possibly be. You…" he stopped himself short as they arrived at the park. "Wait so… You're taking me to the park? Dude, that's pretty lame even for your standards."

"Calm down, Mark. You'll see what the surprise is… And what do you mean by _my standards?_ "

"Raquel!" a familiar voice called out behind them. Both heroes turned to see a tall man with dark hair and sunglasses approach them.

"Dick! It's been a while," Raquel said, laughing as she went in for a hug. "How's everything on your block holding up?"

"Oh you know how Blüdhaven is. I'm somehow managing."

"I'm glad that the League is finally getting the Team back together." She brightened up as she remembered the younger boy beside her. "Oh, and this is Mark. Mark, this is my friend Dick."

Mark, who had been struggling to keep up, offered Dick a lopsided smile that reminded the older hero of an old friend. "Hey. So you're a super too?"

"Something like that," Dick replied with a smirk.

Raquel grinned, looking back at her trainee. "I've been in contact with the League for some time now and Dick's here to offer you something."

"Offer me what?" Mark asked, confused.

"I'm here to offer you a position on the Team," Dick stated, only to be met with a completely stunned expression. "It's a lot of responsibility, I know, and it'll be a huge change, but Raquel thinks that being on a team with other kids your age will be good for you and will help challenge and hone your abilities. So what do you say? Do you want in?" Dick hardly finished his sentence before Mark pumped his fist up in the air with a loud hoot.

"Are you kidding me?" he shouted at Raquel with a stupid grin on his face. "I thought you were taking me sky diving or on a crime fighting road trip, but this? This is completely _insane._ Thank you, thank you, thank you! Did I ever tell you, you're the best?"

"No."

"Well now you are. Oh my god, I can't believe I'm going to be on the Team. This has been my dream for, like, _ever_. If you ever need a favor, Raquel, I'm your man. I'll be your wingman. I'll be your Robin to your Batman. I got your back. I…" glancing back at the fairly amused heroes, he cleared his throat awkwardly and straightened himself. "I mean… yeah... I'm totally down."

Dick couldn't help but laugh, feeling a little nostalgic. "It'll be great working with you and I'm sure you'll get along with all the others. Now here's the lowdown…"

* * *

 _01:22 EDT  
_ _Gotham City_

For once, it seemed like Ivy didn't immediately turn heads when she walked into the room. The darkness and the multi-colored strobe lights offset her green complexion and the people crowding the penthouse were either too drunk or too busy dancing up against each other to care about the newcomer, which was ideal for what she came here to do. The last thing she needed was a fear-induced riot to occur or for someone to tip off the police.

With the blasting music, staggering light show, and the overwhelming smell of alcohol, smoke, and sweat, it was hard for her to use her basic senses properly, let alone think straight, but finding him in the sea of people turned out to be surprisingly easy. He had a natural pull to him that drew people in, she just had to follow the trail. The boy in question was sitting at the bar with a cigarette dangling from his fingertips and smoke lingering on his lips. He surveyed the room with a blank expression, seemingly lost in thought and oblivious to the hungry stares he was garnering. He was easily the most beautiful thing in the room, so much so that it was almost painfully unfair.

He didn't acknowledge her immediately when she slid into the seat next to him, but he took a long drag of his cigarette before putting it out on the ashtray with finality.

"You're becoming harder to get a hold of," she commented, waving off the bartender dismissively just as he came around.

"I'm taking a break from all this villain business," he replied coolly, turning his head to finally look at her. "Why are you here?"

"Villain business."

The corner of his lip curled sharply as if he found something both amusing and aggravating and the coolness in his eyes was replaced by harsh glint. "Of course. Well you didn't track me down all the way here for pleasantries, I suppose. What do you want, Pamela?"

"For you to get back in the game," she replied tersely. "The Injustice League is forming a new group. Genesis, they call it."

He had the audacity to laugh. "Consider me not interested."

Ivy pulled a wry smile at his response. "They never are, and that's why I need you on this team, Gabriel. All these kids, I can't trust them. They all join for an incentive whether that be money, power, or information, and if I taught you anything it's…"

"Anyone who can be bought can't be trusted," he mused with a curious tilt of his head. Even with the humidity generated from the hot bodies in the room, not a single dark hair on his head was out of place. It was almost cruel and sickening how physically perfect he was and she sometimes found herself wanting to claw a trail down his face just to disrupt it. "Tell me, do you trust the Injustice League?"

She laughed. "Never. But at the moment, the League and its members are my strongest allies… Gabriel, I need you to be my ally in this as well. All these kids have their own motives and agendas and I need someone whom I can trust on this team."

"So you want me to spy for you," he reiterated.

"If need be."

His jaw ticked and he let out something between a laugh and a scoff, the cold sharpness in his voice contrasting against his appearance. "Fine… on the conditions that I get Sundays off no questions asked and should I decide to leave the team for any reason, I will not be penalized or punished for doing so."

"Consider it done," she agreed with a grin. "Welcome back, Anteros."

He shook his head as he reclined against the bar once more. "I'm doing this as a personal favor, Pam. Please don't take advantage of that. I have absolutely nothing to gain from this and the last thing I need is the Injustice League on my back."

"I know, but it's because there is nothing for you to gain that I trust you," she said, standing up to leave. "I still don't understand why you come to these parties. You're not as fun when you're bitter and brooding."

He didn't reply as his eyes followed her retreating figure out of the penthouse, the occupants too distracted to realize that she had even been there at all.

* * *

 _22:15 PDT  
_ _Las Vegas, NV_

Kaldur stood at the door of room 34, listening to the shuffling feet and muffled voices inside. It took him three days to find the Constantines after being only hours late at every site they took up temporary residence in. From the information he gathered previously, Luciel Constantine was a proficient magic user, having had more training than any of the potential members of the Team in regards to her abilities. What she lacked, however, was the experience with working with others, taking on opponents without supernatural origins, and stepping out from under her father's protective wing. More importantly, the League was hoping to recruit Lucy as a member of the Team so that in the future, she wouldn't be so distant like her father from the Justice League. Batman was right about his assumption of the Constantines though. The hardest part would be tracking them down and convincing John Constantine to listen to him. So far, Kaldur had a high suspicion that the man was purposely trying to outrun him.

Just as he was about to knock on the motel door, it suddenly opened to reveal a blonde man in a rumpled white oxford, red tie, and dress pants, the hint of a nine-o'clock shadow lining his tense jaw. "Are you just going to keep standing there all day? You'd think that after all this time trailing us, you'd actually have the balls to knock."

"Who's at the door?" a younger, female voice asked from inside. Kaldur couldn't help but notice how her accent wasn't as pronounced as her father's hard British, more than likely due to their frequent traveling. Not a moment later, a girl with dark black hair and the same blue eyes as her father poked her head out from under his arm to peer up at him.

"No one important," John Constantine intervened, planning to close the door in his face, but Lucy jammed her foot in the way.

"Who are you?" she asked curiously, stubbornly ignoring her father's protests.

Kaldur, who had been taken aback by the exchange so far, regained his cool composure and straightened. "I am Aqualad, but you can call me Kaldur," he greeted kindly. "I am here representing the Justice League…"

"The League can shove off. We're not interested. Come along, Lucy," her father interjected, trying to pull her back in, but she didn't budge.

"...to extend an invitation to you to join a team we are assembling," Kaldur finished slowly, eyeing the clearly irritated man behind her. "It would be a good opportunity for you to work with other mentors in the League and people your age, hone your abilities, and learn to work on a team."

"Yeah, yeah. Look, I already said no once so…"

"They asked before?" Lucy questioned incredulously, offended that he hadn't told her.

"You're not going," her father called over his shoulder as he disappeared inside.

Lucy scowled at her father's retreating figure, but turned back to Kaldur. "Sorry, he's just really overprotective… and kind of an asshole sometimes... So will I really get to work with other magic users?" she asked, perking up.

"Of course. There are many sorcerers and magicians in our ranks. The point of the Team is to help develop future heroes' powers, strategy, and team abilities so that one day they are prepared to be on their own independently as well as work well with others."

"I'm in," she stated firmly, hardly needing any convincing at all. "Don't worry about my dad, I'll deal with him myself." With that, she pulled out a business card out of her jacket pocket and handed it to him. "Here, it'll be a hell of a lot easier to get a hold of me this way."

"'... Master of the Dark Arts?'" Kaldur read unsurely.

"Err...Ignore that. We're getting new ones made," she said quickly before slamming the door in his face.

Kaldur, still quite bewildered by the odd pair, made his way out of the motel complex. If Lucy somehow convinced her father to agree, he was sure this wouldn't be the last time he'll hear from the eccentric John Constantine. Stepping outside, he glanced down at the card once more with a quirked brow.

 _John Constantine_

 _Exorcist, Demonologist, and Master of the Dark Arts_

 _404-248-7182_

* * *

 _16:11 AEST  
_ _Sydney, Australia_

Althea sat at her window curled up with a book. The screaming, laughter, and heavy foot falls of children echoed throughout the orphanage and even the sound of those playing outside carried through the thin glass windows. After so many months here, she had grown accustomed to shutting out the stressors and distractions. Here at the orphanage, she was a loner and none of the other kids dared to bother her, just the way she liked it, so receiving a knock on her door was a bit of a surprise from her regular routine.

"Althea," the matron called from behind the door before opening it and stepping inside. "You have a visitor."

A woman stepped out from behind her. She looked like a doctor with her blonde hair tightly secured in a bun and her cat-eye glasses. The woman gave her a demure smile but her blue eyes sparkled with barely contained glee. "Hi Althea. I'm Harleen."

"Harleen here has expressed an interest in adopting you," the matron explained in a patronizingly kind voice. Althea may have only been thirteen, but she was hyperaware of when people babied her. "I'll give you both some time to talk alone. I'll be down in my office if you need anything."

As soon as she left, Harleen deflated with a high-pitched sigh. "Thank god, I thought she was nevah goin' to leave," she said, reverting to her Brooklyn accent and pulling out her hair from her bun.

"Excuse me?" Althea questioned, sitting up and putting her book down.

"Would've had to knock her out if she stayed. Ya know how nosy some people ah," Harley replied casually, tossing her glasses and pressed jacket on the table and working on putting her hair in pigtails. "Really, this is more of Ivy's style, not mine. My doctorin' days ah ovah."

"Who are you really?" the young girl asked evenly, surprisingly very calm. Her expression all this time hardly differed from boredom. She sat there expectantly, still and regal as a statue despite her young age.

"Oh me? My name's Harley Quinn, but you can just call me Harley."

"Harley," the dark haired girl drawled, seemingly unimpressed. "You're not here to adopt me, are you? What do you want?"

"I want you, actually. Ya see, me and some othah people in high places know all about your powers." Seeing that Althea tensed defensively, Harley laughed loudly. "Oh honey, we're not some evil scientists… well some of us ah, but that's not that important. We want to help ya."

"How exactly do you want to help me?" she asked cautiously, still tense.

"We can teach ya how to control your powers. Ya know, make sure that next time ya blow up a buildin' it's intentional," Harley explained, oblivious to Althea's flinch. "You'll also get to work with some othah kids your age too, ya know, kids who actually have powers and abilities. You'll probably be doin' quite a few missions for the I.J.L, but we can talk about that latah."

"The I.J.L?"

"Oh that stands for the Injustice League, Althy."

She put a hand up at this. "I'm going to have to stop you right there," Althea said immediately. Despite her monotone intonation, her words held a certain decisiveness to it that left little room for arguing. "I don't want anything to do with you or you supervillains. Sorry, but I'm not going anywhere."

Harley tutted, crossing her arms. "Tou-chy. That wouldn't have anythin' to do with what happened in the Phillipines a year ago, would it?"

Althea's head snapped back to her and though her expression was stonily calm, her eyes flashed angrily momentarily. The room seemed to jump up a few degrees, but only for a split second as all traces of her anger were immediately shut down and replaced with her cool mask of indifference. "How do you know about that?"

"We're not dumb, Thea. We can't be if we're takin' on the Justice League on a regular basis. I made sure to do my homework before comin' all this way from Gotham. Ya see, I know you're mad at the J.L for that whole fiasco with that giant sea monstah, or whatevah. They fought the monstah and got rid of the problem, but they nevah seem to clean up their messes do they? Some heroes they ah, huh? No, ya want revenge for what happened to your family. I understand. Ya can't get mad though, not with your powers. It don't mesh well with keepin' a low profile, but if ya join us, you can use that angah against them. You can get them back for the death of your family."

"I'll be able to fight against them?" Althea asked, something besides indifference and anger coloring her voice.

"Sure will, hun."

Althea chewed on her lip in thought, but eventually nodded. "Okay... I'll join."

"Yay!" the blonde villainess squealed. "Just one more left on the list and I'm done. Pack your things, Thea, we're headin' to the states."

"Just like that?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow. "What about the paperwork? That will take months to fill out."

"Ya well, we're bad guys and we ain't got time for that. I got a jet waitin' for us a lil ways a way and we'll be flyin' out in no time, so how's about you do us both a favah and bust us out of this joint?"

Althea stepped back and faced the window, cracking her knuckles with a satisfying pop. "With pleasure."

* * *

 _18:44 CDT  
_ _Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana_

Aqualad and Nightwing trailed behind their armed escort as they went deeper into the facility. Belle Reve was a place that the both of them didn't have very fond memories of and some of the inmates they passed they were responsible for putting there. The majority of the prisoners sneered and jeered as they walked by, but the two heroes were hardly fazed as they had grown thick skins over the years.

"You sure about this?" Aqualad asked quietly as they passed through yet another security door.

"I know we're taking a big risk with this, but I have faith in her. I've spoken with her before. She's really not a bad kid."

"You spoke with her after she committed a crime. Nightwing, I am just worried for the safety of the others on the Team as well as the safety of the League's secrets. We are taking more than a risk with this. We are potentially jeopardizing our team."

"What else are we to do? She's just a kid. If we brand her as a criminal now, she will always be a villain for the rest of her life, but if she's willing to make a change to turn her life around now, then it's our duty to help," Nightwing defended. "That's what we do isn't it? Save and protect lives. We can help save hers. Besides, the base won't be at the Watchtower so we don't have to worry about the League's location being compromised. For now, we'll keep an eye on her and how well she adapts, but I really believe she has the potential to do some good."

The final security door opened and the guard stood off to the side to allow them access to the long hall ahead. At the end, a single glass cell held a figure who was hunched over themselves on the cot. Nightwing had requested that she receive a personal cell to avoid any negative influences while the League debated her admittance to the Team. He didn't think it would be like this though. This was more like solitary confinement than a place to keep her safe from the other inmates. The door closed behind them as they made their way in and the both of them couldn't help but feel claustrophobic and anxious. Belle Reve generally had that effect on people.

Due to the thick bulletproof glass, she didn't hear them approach until they were only a few feet away from her cell. When she looked up, Aqualad was immediately taken aback by her appearance. Her skin was chalk-white, her hair an inky black that moved insidiously around her, and her eyes were a startling red that seemed to glow out of their hollow sockets. He was reminded of the horror movies the younger Team members would sit through in fear, but in this case, the creature conjured from nightmares was very much real. It was fairly easy for him to see though that she was distraught and afraid. Her body language and tired, forlorn eyes spoke volumes and he suddenly felt a tugging at his chest. A feature that particularly stood out to him now was the inhibitor collar tightly secured around her neck, keeping her powers at bay.

"Nightwing?" the girl uttered, her knees still pressed to her chest in a defensive position.

"Hi, Maeve," the hero greeted kindly. "This is my friend and colleague, Aqualad. Last time I was here, we talked a little about your family and Scarecrow."

She grimaced, but nodded. "I remember... Look, I didn't know what was really going on. I didn't think anyone would get hurt."

"I know. Aqualad and I are here to discuss some options you have for the future."

"What do you mean?" she replied uneasily, her thoughts immediately drifting to Arkham Asylum.

"I've been talking to the League for some time now about your situation. They have agreed to pardon you on one condition." She visibly tensed at this, waiting for him to continue on bated breath. "The League is assembling a team of young heroes. We want you to join and be a member."

"The Team?" she questioned, suddenly standing up to fully face them.

"Yes. It will allow the League to monitor your progress and it will also enable you to interact with other heroes and kids your age."

"But why? I'm not exactly cut out to be a hero."

"Do you remember when I was fighting Scarecrow the night the fear gas bomb went off? I saw you save those people in the streets, and you helped them even if they thought you were the bad guy. You could have fled the scene safely without being caught, but you stayed to help. You did so not for the fame, glory, or the recognition… You put your life on the line to save those people because it was the right thing to do. That's what makes a hero, Maeve. You can be a hero if you choose to be or you could be a villain that uses their abilities to hurt others like Scarecrow, but I know that's not you. We're offering you a chance to start over," he said slowly, allowing her to process this information. "Is this something you want?"

She trembled slightly, nearly on the verge of tears but she firmly held her ground. "Yes."

He offered her a smile then. "It will take time, but don't worry. We'll get you out of here soon. Welcome to the Team."

For the first time since he met her, her lips pulled up into a smile.

* * *

 _23:02 EDT  
_ _New York City, NY_

Jack stood on the ledge of the rooftop, surveying the never sleeping city below. If he had to be honest, he preferred New York at night. Everything was far more exciting then and the view was significantly better as well. He had to admit though, the recent anarchy and heists were wearing on him. He really had no idea how other villains did it for a lifetime. In short, he was bored. Painfully and utterly bored… at least until two entities coming at him from another rooftop showed up on his radar.

"Ooh, that's not boring," he murmured to himself as he watched the two blinking dots close in on him. "Aaannnd… go!" he shouted, swinging his leg around at full force.

Harley caught his ankle with surprising strength before his heel blade could make contact with her face. "Ooh, Mistah J has one of those too! Hey you're not one of those Mistah J fanatics ah ya?"

"Oh god no... No offense."

"Good, 'cause I would've had to push ya off this buildin' if ya were a creep like him."

"Harley, put him down," Ivy said, sauntering not far behind. "Jack Pfeifer I presume."

Harley pouted as she dropped his foot. Despite having attacked first with the intention of impaling Harley's face, his body language was deceptively laid back and casual. "The one and only. Who's asking?"

"I'm Poison Ivy and this is Harley Quinn. We're here representing the Injustice League."

"The Injustice League? So you guys were the ones who did the whole plant thing a while back, right? I suppose that would've been your doing actually."

"We've reformed ourselves since then," Ivy replied tartly. "We are in the process of forming a new group called Genesis with the purpose of training the next generation of our kind. For a while now, your actions across the U.S. have gained the attention of both our organization and the Justice League, though I can assure you, you don't want their attention. Not on your own at least. You see, we're stronger together than we are divided and we're offering you our resources and support to help you."

"Okay, you've got my attention. Sounds like a pretty sick deal. A bit too sick if you ask me, but uh… what do you get out of it?" he asked curiously. "I'd imagine no one, especially villains like yourselves, is helping us out of the kindness of their heart. I see my carrot, but where's yours?"

"He's smart, I like that," Harley spoke up with a grin. "None of the othah newbies evah stopped to ask what we got outta the deal."

"The Injustice League has big plans for the future," Ivy answered. "To both test your skills and put the team to good use, you will be sent on missions intermittently to help our cause. We didn't just pick any super powered kid for this team. We selected the best of the best and those with potential, and we expect a lot out of all of you. This isn't a vacation. You're going to have to work for your keep."

"I'm flattered that you thought of me then," he said, putting a hand to his chest.

"Are you in then?"

"Yeah sure. It's not like I have anything better to do. All of this was getting boring really fast anyway," he replied, gesturing to the cityscape behind him. "So Ivy, Harley… when do I get to meet the ' _othah newbies?_ '"

The two females grinned, matching the jagged smile on his white mask. "Tomorrow."

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys! This is a pretty lengthy author's note, but I do suggest you read it in its entirety. I promise they will be much shorter after this.**

 **So anyone catch the Sandman and Swift reference? Also, this was a monster of a chapter, writing eleven point of views, so sorry if some POVs were shorter than others or if you find my writing wasn't as detailed or grammatically correct as usual. Probably not my finest work, but there are only so many ways I can introduce all of them before it gets redundant and I really just wanted to crank this introduction out and get it out of the way. Despite such short introductions, I was sitting at over twenty pages by the time I was done but I didn't want to split the recruitment into different chapters as I just wanted to come out with the final list. I was not having the easy way out by having them list off the recruits with a brief description either. I do promise, however, that the chapters will be shorter after this and a bit more detailed as I'll be focusing on only a couple POVs at a time.**

 **So the results are finally in, and let me tell you, it was very difficult to narrow the thirty-five submissions down to eleven and I was making cuts to the teams even as I wrote this chapter. I was trying to figure out this list down to the buzzer and I had to weigh a lot of factors to get here. So anyway, enough of my rambling, this is what you guys are here for.**

 **The Team:**

 **Riley Hopkins, 17, Archangel – Previous Mentor: Batman  
** **Rahiim Isoba Bakhari, 19, Ba'al – Previous Mentor: Black Lightning  
** **Mark Argent, 16, Safeguard – Previous Mentor: Rocket  
** **Luciel Constantine, 17, Lightwalker – PRevious Mentor: John Constantine  
** **Maeve Morrison, 16, Macaria – Previous Mentor: Scarecrow**

 **Genesis:**

 **Elijah King, 19, Reaper – Previous Mentor: Deathstroke  
** **Mariska Bergstrom-Holland, 18, Mage – Previous Mentor: Zatanna  
** **Evren Tilki, 17, Sable  
** **Gabriel Viteri, 17, Anteros – Previous Mentor: Poison Ivy  
** **Althea Hertz, 13, Bombshell  
** **Jack Pfeifer, 18, The Jack**

 **I received over thirty submissions and I do realize that over half of you weren't accepted. There were a lot of really good applicants, but unfortunately I couldn't take them all. If you have any questions or concerns about OC's, don't be afraid to shoot me a PM. For those who were accepted, also feel free to PM me if you have concerns on how I'm portraying your character or if there is anything else you would like to add to them and I'll see what I can do.**

 **Thank you to everyone who submitted and reviewed. Even if you didn't get accepted, I hope that you continue to enjoy this story. If you choose not to follow this story, I understand and thank you anyway. I really do appreciate the work, effort, and insight everyone has provided so far.**

 **So for those who are reviewing,**

 **1\. What are your opinions on the OCs so far? I do realize this is only a teaser for what's to come and there's not a lot to base fleshed out opinions on, but think of it as a first impression.**

 **2.** **Other than your own OC, who are you most excited to hear from next time on both the Team and Genesis?**

 **Thanks again everyone, and until next time.**

\- **Dsdb**


	4. The Weakest Link in the Chain

"The weakest link in the chain is the strongest because it can break it."

\- Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

* * *

 _15:42 EDT_

 _Anvil Peak_

"I don't need you to protect me," Lucy gritted through the phone wedged between her cheek and her shoulder. She was venting off her frustration by aggressively unpacking and organizing her belongings in her new room.

" _This is new territory, Lucy,"_ her father stressed grimly. " _You're not going up against demons or spirits anymore. You may think that your powers will get you through the end of the day, but these_ heroes _don't work the same way we do. They don't fight against the same things we do. You are out of your depth. You aren't ready to be on the Team, or whatever the bloody hell they call it."_

"Then when? If you had your way, I'd be trailing behind you forever," she argued in exasperation. She sighed, pinching her nose bridge, and flopped down on her bed. "I'm already here. I need to do this on my own, Dad. It's now or never."

John Constantine sighed on his end as well, more than likely developing a migraine from all of this. They had been arguing ever since Aqualad arrived on their doorstep. " _I just don't want you to get hurt."_

"I won't. I've been training with you for my entire life. That's probably longer than any of these other kids have even had their powers. Sure we're not fighting demons or doing exorcisms, but I've got my magic. It's like I already have a leg up on everybody here."

" _The thing about magic, Love, is that anybody can do it. You can't always rely on your magic to get you out of trouble,"_ he replied at a loss. " _Just stay safe and don't make it a habit of underestimating others. Remember to call me every Friday... I love you."_

Her lips twitched upwards, the sentiment getting to her. "Love you too. I'll talk to you later, Dad."

With that, she pressed the end button and tossed her phone to the side. Lucy huffed, sitting up and surveying the room. It felt oddly satisfying to see it finally all organized and marked with her own personal signature. Because she and her dad were always on the road for his work, they never had a permanent residence and she couldn't recall a time when she had a room she could call her own. The whole prospect excited her. She loved her dad and only wanted to make him proud, and that's exactly the reason why she had to leave. She felt like being here, being part of a team and working in a new field to expand her experience and abilities, was a way to show him that she could be independent and capable of greater things like himself - that she wasn't an accident and that his years teaching her hadn't gone to waste. Being here now, she was more determined than ever to prove her worth.

She was the first of her teammates to arrive at the base. According to Kaldur, she had four other teammates, two of which were also going to be living at the base with her. Maeve and Rahiim, if she remembered their names correctly. She had been unpacking and talking with her dad all morning though, so she hadn't run into anyone yet. Deciding now was a good time to finally go out and meet everyone, she left to go hang out in the day room.

As she closed her door behind her, she could hear rummaging and Sia belting "Chandelier" from the room across the hall from her. She assumed that would be one of the other residents here - Maeve if she had to make a guess. She hadn't met or seen the girl yet, but she was a bit curious about her and her other teammates. When she walked into the day room, she spotted two boys standing in the adjacent kitchen along with another girl who leaned casually against the counter top. They were laughing at something one of the boys said.

While the two boys were distracted, the brunette girl perked up, noticing the newest arrival, and crossed the room to meet her. "Hi," she greeted amiably, sticking her hand out. "I'm Riley."

"Lucy," she returned, shaking her hand.

"Come on," she said, gesturing for her to follow. "Come meet the others."

One of the boys, a tall and lean boy with messy brown hair and green eyes, grinned as Lucy joined them. "Hey I'm Safeguard. Do you want to know my secret identity?" he asked suggestively with a cavalier smile and a quirked brow.

She couldn't help but snort unladylike. "Oh please."

"Oh ignore him. He already got shot down by Riley over here," the tall dark-skinned boy with the ear and eyebrow piercings teased, elbowing his friend in the ribs lightly before opening the fridge. "You want anything to drink? We don't have anything stronger than Coke though… unfortunately."

"No thanks, maybe later though."

"Suit yourself," he said, fishing out a Coke for himself. "I'm Rahiim by the way. I go by Ba'al when all suited up though. Oh, and Mr. Heartbreaker over there's secret identity is Mark."

"Hey! That's very sensitive information," Mark retorted in mock anger, though the humor hadn't left his eyes. "Don't blow my cover, bro."

"So where are you from, Lucy?" Riley asked curiously.

She shrugged. "I don't really have a hometown. My dad and I were always traveling."

"That sounds cool though. I've hardly been anywhere else besides Gotham. You've probably have seen some interesting places."

"I've sure met some interesting people," she muttered more to herself as she recalled the last quest she went on in Vegas. Needless to say she felt a bit bad for the cleaning crew. Possessed people had a tendency to make a mess.

"I definitely know what you mean," she replied with a laugh, also remembering her last escapade. "What about you two? Where are you from?"

"Malibu," Rahiim replied, taking a swig from his can. "Definitely nothing like the east coast, that's for sure."

"Dakota City born and raised," Mark said proudly.

"So what's your guys' deal?" Lucy asked.

"Our deal?" Riley asked, perplexed.

"You know, why are you here? What's your special power or whatever?"

"Oh," she realized with a smirk. Riley shocked the three of them as she bit into her own hand, drawing blood. Ever since the Killer Croc incident, she had been trying to build up her immunity to the pain of being bitten. Riley still flinched nonetheless. To their astonishment, the wound on Riley's hand almost immediately sealed up, leaving only a small blood trail as evidence. "I've got a fairly efficient healing factor, but I've also trained with Batman for a bit."

"So you're like a Robin then?" Mark asked in awe.

"No, nothing like that." she replied, waving the idea off. "I'm nowhere near smart enough. They're all geniuses I swear. It was more like Batman making sure I had the proper training so I didn't get eaten alive by Gotham's finest."

"That's gotta be pretty sweet though," Rahiim joined in. "Having the B-Man connections, and that superpower has got to come in handy. I trained under Black Lightning, so you can probably guess what my powers are." He turned his hand over, a web of blue electricity crackled between his fingers. "Electricity can be a bit tricky to control so I'm still learning how to get a better grasp on it. It's crazy helpful with working on cars though."

"Cool show, Sparky. I was with Rocket, so same deal. Force fields and all that," Mark said. A new excitement filled his eyes. "Can you guys believe it? We're on the Team. _The_ Team. I don't know about you guys, but I'm super pumped to be here. This place is freaking awesome too! The view here is amazing and have you guys seen the training room yet? It's like something conjured from my fantasies. Let me tell you, you can't find anything like that in Dakota City."

"We should check it out. It'll be fun to see what you've guys got," Rahiim agreed with a cheeky grin.

"Hi guys!" a pretty blonde girl called out as she darted into the room. Despite her friendly and bubbly demeanor, everybody seemed to involuntarily stiffen when she entered. Their stomachs churned and sudden unexplained chills and goosebumps wracking down their bodies. Lucy couldn't help but shiver at the strange sensation creeping down her spine. The new girl straightened her dark green skirt and fussed with the neckline of her black long sleeved turtleneck shirt with gloved hands as she joined them. "Sorry I'm late. Lost track of time there. I'm Maeve, by the way."

While Riley and Rahiim were the first to recover and Mark managed a flirtatious smile, Lucy frowned at the newest arrival, feeling a bit wary of her. Having done exorcisms all her life, she knew that outward appearances could be deceiving and that her gut feeling was always her best instinct. Maybe it was her demon reflexes, she didn't know. Right now though, her gut was telling her that something was off about Maeve.

"Hey Maeve!" Rahiim greeted, matching her energy. "I'm Rahiim. This is Mark, Lucy, and Riley, and don't sweat it, we all just met. We were actually about to go check out the training room. You want to come?"

"Yeah sure! Sounds like fun," she readily agreed with a grin. "Lead the way."

As they filed out, Lucy kept an eye on Maeve. She seemed like a nice, unsuspecting girl and even laughed at Mark's flirting, but there was something about her that Lucy couldn't put her finger on. Maybe it was just a part of her powers, but still, Lucy couldn't shake off the disturbed feeling that settled inside her. The five teens made their way down to the training room and it was unlike anything they had ever seen. The room was huge and could have probably fit an entire football stadium inside. Light gray metal panels lined the room, layered one on top of the other like scales, and bright fluorescent lights hung from the rafters where they could see robotic cranes and machines folded and tucked into the crevices.

"Wow…" Riley gaped as she turned to take all of it in. "My day has officially been made. The League has really outdone themselves."

"We are glad that you like it," a voice echoed throughout the room.

The metallic coloring on one of the top panels on the opposite side of the room faded to reveal Nightwing and Aqualad behind the glass in the observatory looking down at them. The two older heroes promptly disappeared from the window to make their way down to the training room. One of the panels moved to reveal a hidden door as they stepped out to greet them.

"Pretty sweet, huh?" Nightwing said, gesturing to the room. "We had to create a completely new base so we decided to upgrade it from the original. Trust me, you've seen nothing yet."

"We were just about to contact all of you," Aqualad added. "I am glad that you have already met each other. You will be working together for a long time so it is important to establish a strong foundation now. As such, we want to start right away with training. It will give you all a feel for each other's powers and abilities as well as your strengths and weaknesses. Learning how to use your abilities together will be very beneficial out in the field when you are on missions."

"We can't start with you guys looking like that though. Why don't you guys get suited up and we'll meet back here in fifteen to try out the new facility?"

"Hell yeah! I've been waiting for this for weeks!" Mark whooped as the five of them exited, an excited buzz hanging over them.

"They're very enthusiastic," Nightwing commented with a lopsided smile as they watched them leave.

"We were also eager like them a long time ago," Kaldur replied.

"It's been so long since then." He couldn't help but feel nostalgic, remembering how he, Kaldur, Wally, Connor, and Megan explored the cave for the first time. "Everything had been so much easier. I almost feel bad, watching them in our shoes."

"It is our job to save others, but you cannot protect them from getting hurt, Nightwing. We can only prepare them for what is to come and hope that they do not make the same mistakes we did."

"I know," he conceded. "It doesn't make it any easier though."

* * *

 _20:30 EDT_

 _New York City, NY_

Mariska sat on her bed, silently staring blankly at the folder neatly centered on her vanity table. She hadn't built up the nerve to even open it since Ivy left it in her hands, and yet, the unsuspecting manilla folder taunted her with its mere presence as if it knew her hesitancy and fears. What if her mother was no longer alive? What if she had a new family? What if she didn't even remember her anymore? Would their reunion be an angry, bittersweet, or disappointing one? Would she try to take her amulet from her? She gripped the five-pointed star medallion hanging off of the silver woven chain around her neck in a vice grip. No, it was rightfully hers now. Her mother gave up her right to it when she abandoned her.

Mariska started as her phone went off, alarming her that she had to leave. Her stomach flip flopped unexpectedly, but she stood nevertheless to leave. She pulled her black trench coat over her purple shirt as she made her way out into the warm New York air, a bit of a contrast to the foggy London she had grown accustomed to. She felt like she had to change locations though, both to make up for the time zone difference and to keep herself off her adoptive parents' radar. While they were busy people, they still had a habit of worrying and poking their noses in places they shouldn't be.

By the time she arrived in the quiet alley, it was already dark and a light fog was settling around her from the bay. Mariska tried to remember Ivy's instructions as she stood on top of the sewer lid in the middle of the alley. Never in her dreams did she imagine that she'd ever have to learn morse code, and if she had to be honest she didn't really learn it, which is why it nearly took her fifteen minutes to tap the right code. She hardly realized she got it right until a red light shot out of an alley brick in front of her, doing a full body scan before the sewer lid suddenly dropped from under her. Mariska repressed a scream as she fell and then suddenly lost all sense of direction and orientation as she was blinded by a bright light.

.- -. .- -. - -.

 _21:12 EDT_

 _Anagog Manor_

Next thing she knew, there was solid ground beneath her feet as if she hadn't fallen at all. Her head spun and it took a second for her to regain her bearings as she grabbed onto the frame of the zeta-beam door to steady herself. A laugh rang clearly through her ears but she couldn't quite pinpoint the source as the room around her reeled. Nonetheless, she could feel her face burning in humiliation. Not only was she late, but now she made a fool of herself in front of her teammates and she hadn't even met them yet. If she knew anything about villains, it was that first impressions were very important power plays. Needless to say, she fucked up her first impression.

When she finally got a grip on herself and her nausea subsided, her vision centered on five individuals watching her from the couch in the luxurious sitting room she just entered, one of which was still laughing at her expense. Her embarrassment and anger flared, but she chose instead to straighten herself to her full height and make her way over to them with her head held high. The last thing she needed was to make enemies on the first day.

The black-haired boy who was laughing at her not so graceful entrance met her glare with wicked glee, an almost innocent grin spread across his face. He had a soft-featured, almost effeminate face, a surprising contrast to the jagged combat knives and guns strapped to his chest. "First time traveling through zeta-beam?" he probed knowingly. "Don't feel too bad. I've seen some people vomit on their first trip. You did a pretty good job, you know... for a newbie."

Mariska's cheeks heated up once more at the boy's backhanded slight and she bit her tongue before she could hurl a barbed insult his way. None of the others seemed to care enough to join in. A boy with slicked black hair in a black hooded trench coat and skull mask didn't seem to take notice of the conversation as he polished off one of his guns boredly. A girl with a deep tan, striking golden eyes, and a black bob covered by a hooded scarf watched them with interest but simply observed the situation curiously. Beside her sat a poised and startlingly beautiful boy with dark brown locks, high cheekbones, and dark eyes; a black, high-tech bow, a quiver of arrows, and a full-faced alabaster mask were placed beside him. The last girl sat in an armchair and was by far the youngest of the group, which was further accented by her small, seemingly malnourished frame. The black and red skin-tight bodysuit she wore also made her look smaller against the black sofa chair that seemed to dwarf the girl.

"Excuse me?" Mariska demanded, finding her words as her face twisted into a snarl. Despite not wanting to start a fight right off the bat, her fingers twitched as she itched to send the boy flying across the room.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," he replied easily with a boyish smile and wide surprised eyes. "We all had to start somewhere. I'm sure you'll do fine with the rest of us once you get into the swing of things."

"I'll have you know, I've trained under the best for years."

"And who exactly is the best?"

"Zatanna," Mariska retorted hotly, but he caught the hesitancy in her voice. The others seemed to perk up at the name, recognizing it as a Justice Leaguer.

"We've all been training under the best for years, Sweetheart, though some of us actually trained with villains and not birthday party magic acts," he was barely able to say before promptly dodging a vase that she hurled at his head with her magic. The vase shattered against the marble mantle piece, causing the skull-faced assassin to look up and the archerer to give a low tsk, more so out of the waste of an expensive vase. The golden-eyed girl sat up as well, hardly able to contain the smirk that crept onto her face and the younger girl watched on impassively from her spot.

"It seems that I've hit a nerve," the boy calmly mused with a smirk. "I suppose being a hero-reject would be a sore spot for conversation."

"I don't have to explain myself to you," she snipped, narrowing her steely gray eyes at him.

He merely barked out an unimpressed laugh and turned away dismissively, which made her bristle even more and feel humiliated all over again as she stood there stupidly before the others under the spotlight.

"I believe we skipped introductions," the pretty boy drawled after a tension-filled beat, quickly redirecting the conversation. "I'm Anteros."

The dark haired boy who had become the bane of her existence snorted, glancing at the other boy's bow and arrows. "Like anti-cupid?"

"Something like that," Anteros replied with a reserved smile, his eyes narrowing at the challenge. "And you are?"

"The Jack, but Jack's fine too."

"Like a jack of all trades and master of none?" Anteros asked lightly with a raised brow, humor lighting up his features.

He shrugged in good nature. "What can I say? I like to have a finger in every pot."

"Like other peoples' pots?" he asked, glancing at Mariska. Jack's smile didn't falter and neither did his unnerving stare. Anteros held his gaze for a moment, seeming to contemplate something, before letting his eyes travel down to the white, featureless mask with a jagged grin carved into it beside him. "Or perhaps you mean like a jack in a deck of cards. Somehow I can't help but get a Joker-esque vibe. How cliche. I suppose originality is really hard to come by nowadays."

"Oh, me and the clown aren't affiliated," Jack clarified as he leaned forward with a cutting grin. "But I think you'll find that I can be just as dangerous. I can think of more than ten different ways to break that pretty face of yours in less than five seconds."

He rolled his eyes. "A bit chatty aren't we? Tell me, are you usually this annoying or do you just like to hear yourself talk?"

"A little bit of both."

Anteros hummed non-committedly, taking a page out of Jack's book and deliberately turning his attention elsewhere with disinterest. "We've been sitting here for the past twenty minutes and we don't even know each other's names. Anyone care to share?"

After a moment of silence of waiting for someone else to go first, the girl beside him shifted in her seat. "Sable, but you can call me Evren when off duty."

"Reaper," the last of the three boys spoke up, putting his rifle away to join the conversation.

"Bombshell," the youngest girl said in a bored tone, picking at her fingernails. "My real name is Althea. I don't really have a reason to hide my identity from all of you."

"Aw, do you trust us already?" Jack asked in a light and musical tone, though Althea couldn't gauge if he was patronizing her because of the age difference.

"Hardly, but there's not really anything you could use against me," she replied coldly, not giving into his banter like Mariska and Anteros.

"And you are?" Jack asked Mariska pleasantly, who had drifted into the background momentarily.

"Mage," she sniffed, eyeing him warily as they fell into silence once more.

"Well this is a lovely start, isn't it?" Sable said sarcastically.

"To be fair, I didn't expect you all to get along," Poison Ivy stated, causing the teens to jump and turn around. She was leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, studying them with a hawkish gaze. She straightened then and crossed the room to stand in front of the fireplace, kicking shards of the vase away as she commanded the attention of the room. "But if you're going to be a team, I suggest you swallow your prides now. One of the reasons why you are all here is to prepare you to work together in the future if need be. Must I say your first meeting has shown me that you have a long road ahead of you, both in teamwork and maturity." She made a point to give Jack, Anteros, and Mage a look. "Genesis was established for something bigger than yourselves, and I don't want to have to deal with your inflated egos and petty feuds. This isn't about money, revenge plots, or anarchy. If you want that, seek it on your free time, but once you walk through these doors, you drop your personal lives and any differences you may have. This isn't sidekick hour, show me you can be professional and civil with each other like adults."

"Why would us working together be any concern for the Injustice League?" Sable asked, leaning forward. "Some of us aren't even connected to villains affiliated with the organization."

"Because you represent our legacy and this is about the survival of our future against the Justice League and the Light. If you remain isolated and divided as you are now, every single one of you will fall whether that be on your first mission on Genesis or years in the future on your own. None of you could take on the Justice League or even their younger division singlehandedly no matter how many ways you can _break someone's face_ , and they're the ones who play fair. The Light, on the other hand, won't be so merciful and lock you in an escapable cell like the heroes. If they catch you, they will end you. Without each other, you won't survive."

"If my survival is dependent on this team, I'm afraid that I'm almost better off by myself," Mage commented sardonically.

"I also will not tolerate back talk," Ivy continued, shooting a withering glare at the magic user. "I'm not your babysitter and I'm not going to hold your hand. I also want to make it clear that if any of you betray your team or the Injustice League, we will take you out no questions asked. I don't say this lightly so don't take it lightly. You want to play with the big leagues, you get treated as such. Just because you're young doesn't mean you get special treatment.

"In regards to the work you'll be doing, some of your missions will be simple, others will be like nothing you've ever done before. If you fall behind, you get left behind so be prepared to pull your own weight and take advantage of the facilities and resources we have provided for you here at Anagog Manor. I suggest that all of you get to know each other's powers and how your skills go together while you're here. As a team, you will share each other's strengths but you will also share each other's weaknesses. Consider it a challenge not to be the weakest link in the chain."

The six of them shared a look, sizing each other up as if trying to decipher who the weakest would be. If Mage had to make a guess, she'd have to say Bombshell due to her age and probable inexperience, Anteros as she could hardly imagine the elegant boy ever getting roughed up in a fight though he proved that he wasn't afraid to verbally spar, or Jack if he turned out to be all talk and no bite. She very much wished it was Jack.

If she had to be honest, Mage didn't believe any of her new teammates would care or help if one of them fell behind because she knew she wouldn't either. Ivy could lecture them all day about survival, but Mage wasn't about to risk her neck for someone else, let alone this ragtag gang of a team. To her it was survival of the fittest and the only life she was concerned about was her own. She was sure that the feeling was mutual among her teammates as well.

* * *

 **A/N: Yeah, it's kind of short and I wish there were a bit more interactions within the two groups, but kind of comes with working on both teams in one chapter. I also wanted to cap it off at about 5,000 words since I knew if I continued I'd probably find myself at around 10,000 words like last time. I'll start to work on individual teams and personal side stories though as we pass through the whole training and getting to know each other phase and go onto the missions.**  
 **As I was writing this, I realized that there are a lot of parallels between the Team and Genesis and even between this Team and the original Team when it comes to characters. That's also kind of the reason why I chose to focus more on Lucy and Mariska in this chapter, as they are both our resident magic users. Despite their different upbringings and ideologies, they have a lot in common but they'll definitely butt heads in the future.**

 **1\. What character do you want to see more from out of curiosity, lack of screen time, or intrigue?**

 **2\. Who do you think will be the weakest link on both the Team and Genesis?**


	5. The Fear of Falling

_The Fear of Falling_

* * *

 _16:32 EDT_

 _Anvil Peak_

The five of them stood in a line before Nightwing and Aqualad who silently assessed them in full regalia. Maeve couldn't help but want to squirm under their scrutinizing gaze and she had to stop herself from fussing with the neckline of her high collared cloak. Both Nightwing and Aqualad hadn't commented on her appearance - the fact that her normally pale white skin was now a rosy peach, her red eyes were obscured by green contact lenses, and her insidious black hair was hidden by a convincing blonde wig that she spent half an hour carefully securing. Truth was inches away from the collar and sleeves of her shirt the paint stopped and her chalk white skin began. And she fussed and fussed with her collar and sleeves, paranoid because she knew one day they would all know her dirty secret. It wasn't a question of if, but a matter of when. She was perfectly content with hiding - not lying about mind you - the fact that she was practically the embodiment of everyone's nightmares, at least until they understood that she didn't necessarily _want_ to give everyone the creeps and look like something that was dredged up from a horror movie. For now though, they saw her as sweet, bubbly Maeve, not Macaria who hid her grimace when they all reflexively recoiled when she first entered the day room that morning.

Catching herself from tugging on her sleeve again, she averted her eyes down the line of young heroes beside her. Mark was dressed in a black bodysuit with a circular blue insignia on his chest, his features obscured with a domino mask. Unlike her twitchy nerves, he was practically bouncing with excitement, and she envied how happy and lighthearted he was. She could only hope that villains like Scarecrow wouldn't snuff out that light. _He feared restraints and needles._ Riley stood beside him. Similar to Mark, she wore a silver and black bodysuit complete with a navy leather jacket, boots, and a black mask. She stood tall and proud, a smirk on her lips and her eyes focused on their two new mentors as if challenging them to show her what they've got. _She feared being uncared for, being buried alive, and oddly enough, vampires._ Lucy leaned on one hip with her hands in the pockets of her black trench coat. No matter how hard she tried, Maeve couldn't seem to focus on any one feature of her face. It gave her a headache just trying honestly. Maeve didn't consider herself blind to other's feelings, even if fear was the only one she could truly sense and manipulate. She knew that Lucy didn't like her, not that she could blame her. She did tend to rub people the wrong way and Lucy was probably only following her instincts. Still, the girl's suspicious looks were starting to get under her skin. _She feared never being able to live up to her father_. Rahiim was at the end of the line standing at attention, decked in a tight black and blue tank top and black pants tucked into his combat boots. Curiously, he wore yellow-lensed goggles and blue and white bands on his arms. She could only wonder what those were intended for. _He feared losing his loved ones, drowning, and dying._

They were all so ready, bright eyed and bushy tailed looking every bit like the picture perfect heroes they idoled. Despite the fact that Mark, Riley, and Rahiim were friendly and very accepting people, she still felt a bit out of place among them. She knew she really wasn't anything like the heroes of the Justice League. Many likened them to gods among men. Others would think the opposite of her. Again, she stopped herself from reaching for her sleeve. _She feared herself._

"Ba'al, Lightwalker, Archangel, Safeguard, Macaria," Nightwing listed, making sure to make eye contact with everyone meaningfully. "In the training room and in the field, you will refer to each other only by these names. It's best to keep our identities a secret from the rest of the world. In our work, we make easy enemies - dangerous enemies - and giving away your real name can make you and your loved ones a target. Guard your identity and the identity of your teammates with your life."

"For your first training session together, we are going to be starting with the basics," Aqualad said, taking over. "Before we get into your powers and weaponry, Nightwing and I want to see how well each of you do in hand to hand combat. For this session, no weapons and no mid-range or long distance powers. Please deposit any weapons on your person."

Safeguard retrieved the two batons strapped to his back, dropping them at his feet. Archangel also discarded her retractable bo-staff, a handful of gas bombs and explosives, and a pair of daggers. Nightwing nodded in approval before the two mentors turned towards the training room. A rectangular outline just big enough for a small spar lit up on the black floors, setting the boundaries for the exercise.

"Another objective we want to accomplish today is to have you all spar against one another to get a feel for each other's skill level. If you are not sparring, be sure to carefully observe your teammates' strengths and weaknesses. We are all here to improve ourselves afterall. First, we would like to see Safeguard and Macaria."

Safeguard gave a hoot and was instantly in place, ready to go. Macaria on the other hand, slowly stepped into the ring with trepidation.

"You'll have to forgive me, I'm not used to fighting with girls as pretty as yourself," Safeguard said with a wink. Macaria managed a weak smile as she followed his lead, taking a fighting stance.

"Ready?" Aqualad asked, looking from Safeguard to Macaria. The others watched with anticipation as the two prepared themselves - Archangel with curious interest, Ba'al with appraisal, and Lucy with critical eyes. "Begin."

Despite his tall and lean frame, Safeguard instantly charged at her, planning to tackle and restrain her with sheer force. Macaria's eyes widened in surprise as he ran at her full throttle, dropping her stance to stagger back. Just before he made contact, she quickly reacted and her midsection and legs turned to black smoke. He fazed right through her, falling and rolling on the ground unceremoniously. She reformed and quickly stepped back, creating distance between them as Safeguard recovered from his fall.

"Ah," he said, half-wincing as he climbed back to his feet. "Cool trick."

"I have to admit, hand to hand combat isn't my forte," she replied uneasily.

"Could have fooled me," he replied with a grin as he got back into position. "If we're both being honest, I don't feel right hitting a girl."

"Just pretend I'm an enemy then," she offered as they circled one another. "A villain, boy or girl, won't carry the same chivalry you do and some might even take advantage of yours. If it were just you and me, life or death, what would you do?"

"Well I'd hope we'd have more space than this. So I guess we're in one of those weird scenarios where we're both weaponless and surrounded by lava... Hey, is it hot in here or is it just you?"

Macaria genuinely laughed at his lame pick up line, but took the opportunity to attack. She stepped into his open body position so their bodies were flushed together, grabbing his wrist and yanking him so that his face would connect with her fist. Goosebumps shot up his arm at the contact and his stomach flipped as an unsettling feeling weighed down on him. Instead of landing a first hit, Macaria was thrown back almost out of the white neon lines by his sudden force field.

She frowned as she felt around the light blue force field. "We won't get anywhere if you block me out."

"I could walk a couple steps and just… you know, push you into the lava," he replied sheepishly, trying to recover from his startled reaction. His heart was pumping unusually fast and he couldn't help feeling a bit on edge for some reason.

"Safeguard, hand to hand combat," Aqualad reminded from the sidelines.

He hesitated, eventually letting his shield fall, but as soon as he did, he found himself barely dodging Macaria's punch. She noticed as he stumbled back that he wasn't properly trained in hand to hand combat either, which she took comfort in. They weren't going to get anywhere though if both of them were reluctant to hurt the other, so she figured that she would at least try to fight offensively. Now starting to warm up to the idea of fighting, he put his arms up, ready to attack or defend. Macaria followed his lead, trying to gauge his next move. He struck then, sending a quick, but weak punch her way. Taking advantage of his sloppy street fighting tactics and reluctance to hit her, she grabbed his wrist and shoulder, turning his fist away from her and twisting his arm, causing him to bite back a pained groan. In seconds, she maneuvered herself behind him, pinned his arm behind his back, and kicked his knees in, making him to fall. Using her body as dead weight, she pinned him to the ground, pulling harder on his arm every time he tried to get back up. It was hard for her to keep a hold on him as he thrashed about when his fight or flight response kicked in with her prolonged touch. After a few seconds of struggling, the white borders flashed red, indicating the end of the match.

"Macaria is the winner. Five minutes and thirteen seconds," Aqualad stated as the two of them got up.

As soon as Aqualad spoke, Macaria instantly jumped away from him, allowing Safeguard to get up on his own. Even though he grimaced as he stood and rolled his aching shoulder, he had a smile plastered on his face. A smile that was kind and sheepish, but didn't quite make his eyes light up like they usually did. It was a deceiving smile that might have fooled everyone else but her.

"For someone who doesn't think fighting is her forte, you're pretty good," he remarked, still rubbing his shoulder.

"You put up a pretty good fight too," she said, offering a well-meaning but pitiful reply and she knew they both saw it for what it was. It was small, but she saw the crack in his facade. She couldn't help that she could feel his fear and insecurities. He felt inadequate and worried about if he would be the weakest out of the team and if he even deserved to be here. It ate at him more than he cared to admit or show to anyone, but he did a fantastic job at pretending the outcome of the match didn't bother him.

"We put you two up first since you both probably have the least experience with hand to hand combat," Nightwing said, addressing Macaria and Safeguard. She winced for her teammate at the small truth that seemed more like a slap of salt to the wound. "Macaria, your fighting style doesn't necessarily require hand to hand combat, but it is important that you learn the basics and proper technique. Hand to hand combat is an important tool to have in your arsenal. Safeguard, up until this point, you've relied on your force fields to block any attacks, but in the case where using your powers isn't an option, you need to be prepared to physically defend yourself. Just by looking at your technique, it's easy to see that both of you haven't received proper training when it comes to hand to hand combat, but it's okay. We're going to be together for a long time and we'll all be here to help out."

"So who's getting their ass handed to them next?" Safeguard asked as he and Macaria rejoined the ranks.

"Ba'al and Archangel will be sparring for the next round," Aqualad stated, giving Safeguard a pointed look for language.

The two of them stepped into the ring as the border switched from a glowing red back to white. Unlike Safeguard and Macaria, Ba'al and Archangel were both itching to land the first hit, both sharing a smirk of friendly competition.

"You'll forgive me if I hit you?" Ba'al asked, getting into position.

She snorted. "Please. I'd be offended if you didn't. Bring it on Sparky"

"Whatever you say Angel Face," he said, matching her grin.

"Begin!" Aqualad announced, interrupting their banter.

They immediately jumped at each other, swiftly dodging and blocking every punch and kick thrown. Archangel was the first to land a hit, a fast punch in the nose, but her small victory was overshadowed by a fist to the gut. They both staggered back, regaining their bearings as they assessed one another.

"For a tiny girl, you've got a mean right hook," Ba'al stated, his hand muffling his voice as he clutched his nose.

She gasped for the breath that was knocked out of her. "The better to beat up bad guys with."

With that,she was the first to attack. Ba'al decided to change tactics, going for brute force instead. He caught her arm before it could connect with his face and wrapped an arm around her midsection before using her momentum to spin and slam her to the ground. She was crushed underneath him as he weighed a lot more than she did, and her arm was bent painfully and awkwardly between them.

"That all you got?" he teased.

"Got to be a bit more clever than that."

She twisted against his hold and he jumped as a sickening crack echoed through the training room. Aqualad was taken aback and Macaria and Safeguard looked about ready to throw up as Archangel's arm was bent at an unnatural angle, the bone threatening to puncture the skin. She used Ba'al's shock to her advantage as she jabbed her thumb into a pressure point in his neck with her newly freed but broken limb. He immediately recoiled from her, allowing her enough wiggle room to kick him off her and get away.

Ba'al could only watch as Archangel's arm dangled limply before snapping back in place. He instantly recalled the healing factor she told them about earlier. He just never thought she would do something as crazy as breaking her own arm.

"That has got to hurt."

She shrugged, putting her fists up once more. "You get used to it."

He laughed at her frankness. "Well, if we're using powers now…" A surge of blue electricity crackled around him, his eyes suddenly glowing a bright light blue behind his goggles.

Ba'al charged at her first, pulling back his fist ready to strike. He settled on a mix of sheer force and technique and Archangel quickly adapted. He was surprisingly fast, she noted, but she was smaller and lighter on her feet and used it to her advantage. She danced around every punch and kick he threw at her. It was only when one of his hits grazed her arm and left a red and angry burn that she realized that she really did have to avoid his hits.

Archangel jumped back to gain some distance as the angry red welt on her arm faded back to her usual pale tone. Ba'al grinned at her as he straightened, clearly thinking he had the upper hand, but she was trained in hand to hand combat by Batman. She was still sure there was a way to beat him. Long distance would have been the obvious preference, but she knew the point of the exercise was to emphasize that they won't always have the luxury of wide spaces and weapons.

"Sorry about that, I'll try to tone down the voltage," Ba'al said as Archangel came at him again.

"Don't," she managed to grit out as she barely dodged an elbow to the back. "I can heal up just fine."

He shrugged just before ducking under her spin kick. "If you say so."

Those were his last words before Archangel finally landed punch to his face. Her brain seemed to slow down as realization set in. Her arm was locked in place as a new surge of his electricity shot down her arm and through her body at the contact. Her eyes bulged, meeting his widening eyes. Her neck was tensed and locked rigidly and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't look down at herself or pull away as a fiery sensation burned all over her body. She hardly registered Aqualad and Nightwing shouting or the smell of burning flesh. Next thing she knew, she was on the ground, still stiff as a board, convulsing. She could taste blood in her mouth, meaning that she had bitten her tongue.

And then the sensation was gone.

Archangel blinked as her vision cleared. Nightwing and Ba'al were kneeling over her, the others crowded around them. She could smell it now, the smell of burnt skin, rubber, and fabric. Looking down, she could see areas where her bodysuit was completely seared though what she assumed was her burning flesh underneath had already healed. She wasn't nearly as rigid now, but her body still twitched in the after effects.

"How are you feeling?" Nightwing asked as she started to regain her senses.

"Awful," she admitted groggily.

"Can you stand?"

He practically had to pick her up to get her into a standing position and even then, she could hardly support her own weight. Macaria watched as Nightwing picked her up instead, carrying her to the infirmary. She looked to Ba'al who was silent and clearly a bit shaken by the match. As they made a quick exit, Aqualad diverted their attention by clearing his throat.

"She will be fine," he assured, seeing Ba'al's worried look. "That is why we had you two spar together. Archangel has a healing factor that would ensure that she wouldn't have any lasting damage. We knew there wouldn't be a way for Archangel to win with hand to hand combat alone. This was more for your sake, Ba'al."

"My sake?" the boy in question asked, confused.

Aqualad nodded. "If you remember, I stepped in on your training session with Black Lightning when I first met you. You have a lot of power, but you need to learn how to control it. If you are ever in an environment where civilians or your teammates are within close proximity, you have to be able to control your powers at a moment's notice or others will get hurt."

Ba'al swallowed, nodding mutely. Macaria could feel it again - that fear of losing those he cared about.

"So," Lightwalker said, stepping up. "Will I be sparring someone?"

"It is probably best if Ba'al sits this one out. He just finished a match after all," Aqualad replied, looking at the electricity user. "If I can get either Macaria or Safeguard to volunteer...?"

Macaria and Safeguard shared a look. He offered her a lopsided grin, but she felt a spike in fear. He felt like he had to prove himself and because of that, he feared losing again. It would only be his reassurance that he didn't belong here.

"I'll go," she offered before she could change her mind, glancing away from him.

"Thank you, Macaria."

The two girls stepped into the ring, and even though she couldn't really focus on her face, she could sense that the girl was incredibly smug and confident in the way she carried herself. Like her match with Safeguard, Macaria already planned to fight defensively at first, letting Lightwalker make the first move so she could get a feel for the girl's powers and fighting abilities.

"I'm at a bit of a disadvantage," Macaria stated as she set into a defensive position. "You've seen my powers, but I haven't seen yours."

"Not like it would make much of a difference," she replied simply, pulling her hands out of her coat pockets.

"Ready?" Aqualad prepped as they readied themselves.

Her brow furrowed at this. "What do you mean?"

"I'll still beat you."

"Begin!"

Instantly, Lightwalker's hands lit up in a burst of orange flames, causing Macaria's eyes to widen. She immediately threw herself to the ground as a fire ball was hurled at her. Thinking quickly, she swept Lightwalker's feet from under her. She hit the ground hard as she landed flat on her back, and Macaria rolled out of the way just in time to avoid another fire ball. She quickly scrambled to her feet while Lightwalker was down. She realized that unlike Ba'al, Safeguard, and Archangel, Lightwalker wasn't here for friendly competition. She was fighting to set the bar.

Macaria silently formulated a new plan as Lightwalker pulled herself back up. She could feel the biting heat of the flames as the other girl brandished her hands again. Unlike Archangel though, she didn't have any sort of healing powers to prevent burns. Lightwalker swung at her with fiery fists, but Macaria's midsection and legs dissipated into curling black smoke as she avoided the girl's every move. Similar to Safeguard and herself, she noted, Lightwalker lacked formal combat training and relied more on street fighting tactics. She was simply more driven to hit her for whatever reason. Catching Lightwalker off guard as she reappeared behind her, Macaria went in for a punch, only for her fist to painfully connect with a hard surface. A red barrier, much like Safeguard's force fields, stopped her fist inches away from the girl's face.

"Magic," Lightwalker sarcastically answered Macaria's questioning stare before giving a satisfied laugh. She put her hands on her hips sassily and dropping her guard briefly as if she thought her powers made her untouchable. "I just so happen to specialize in fire magic and barriers… Hmm, barriers. Where does that sound familiar?"

Macaria didn't miss how Safeguard bristled. Lightwalker practically had his powers and more and they both knew it. Not giving her anytime to react, Lightwalker dropped her shield and attacked once more. Rethinking her game plan, Macaria figured physical offensive techniques weren't going to get her anywhere, but hopefully she could just wear her out. She seemed to be exerting a lot of energy just trying to burn her to a crisp. She danced around Lightwalker's every move, rapidly disappearing and reappearing in different places as her attacker began to swing and throw fireballs blindly. Luckily for the bystanders of their match, Safeguard threw up a force field before a stray fireball could hit them. The magic user finally caught her off guard though, throwing a fireball to distract her before landing a flame-free punch to her face that sent her reeling.

"Your head doesn't turn into smoke," Lightwalker taunted as Macaria stumbled back. "Not as clever as you think you are, huh?"

Macaria glowered at the girl's arrogant dig and she let her powers leak out. The smirk on Lightwalker's face immediately dissolved as she stiffened and paled. A sudden spike of terror rooted her to the spot, making her knees nearly buckle and a chill shoot down her spine as Macaria straightened herself. Taking advantage of Lightwalker's moment of weakness, Macaria punched her in the stomach before dealing a blow across her face as she doubled over. Lightwalker staggered back and fell, her nose dripping red with blood.

"Not as clever as you think you are, huh?" Macaria mocked back, having enough of her uncalled for verbal jabs. In the heat of the moment and against her better judgment, she pressed on, preying on her insecurities. "What? Afraid that if you lose daddy will think you're a mistake?"

In her fear-induced haze, Lightwalker saw red.

Macaria soon found out Lightwalker lashed out under pressure and that soon became evident when the whole ring burst into flames. She had no choice then, completely dissipating into a tendril of black smoke before she could be consumed by the fire. Knowing she couldn't show her face now, she shot off to her room in her smoky form, the ring turning red as soon as she left its confines. As she sped off, she could hear Aqualad shouting at Lightwalker while Ba'al and Safeguard called after her.

Macaria zipped through the halls, slipping under her door before promptly reforming and locking it behind her. Leaning against the door with her hand still shakily pressed to the lock, her eyes traveled over her room and then settled on the gold-framed mirror above her vanity. Her skin was once again that unhealthy-looking bone white that she despised that made her eyes and cheeks look sunken and hollow. She looked ridiculous with her stupid blonde wig still pinned into place and those emerald green contacts that looked gaudy and fake against her natural complexion. She grimaced as she straightened and slowly crossed the room, carefully sitting herself at the gold and cream vanity. A hurried knock broke through the silence as she removed one contact lens.

"Maeve? Maeve are you alright?" Rahiim asked, worry coloring his voice.

"Maeve?" Mark called, voicing his presence as well.

"I'm fine guys," she replied back, the breeziness in her voice a juxtaposition against her tight, pained expression. "Just a bit shaken."

"Are you sure? Are you hurt at all? Maybe you should head over to the infirmary."

"I just need some time alone for now is all. Honest. I'll be fine."

With the sound of their hesitant but retreating footsteps, Maeve took out the final pin from her hair and pulled off the wig, her black tendrils spilling out and ominously swaying around her. Her eyes slowly traveled up from the black shadowy shroud, to her irritated neckline, before settling on her startling red eyes. They were ghastly even to her and there was no romanticizing them. Nonetheless, she forced herself to stand her ground and look herself in the eye. She could lie to others but she hated lying to herself because it only made her yearn more for something she could never be.

Her vanity was littered with heavy lipsticks, blushes, and eye shadows, brushes, dozens of pins, jewelry, and an airbrush machine. It was all part of a facade that took her hours to perfect, and yet as this afternoon proved, the illusion could disappear in a blink of an eye. Maeve almost laughed at the thought, albeit bitterly.

* * *

 **A/N: Wow, it's been awhile hasn't it? Sorry guys, I've been super busy with work, volunteer work, and online classes so free time is a luxury nowadays. Can't imagine what it'll be like when schools starts back up in a month or so.**

 **I was thinking about putting in a villain scene in here, but I knew that would even further delay this chapter, so this is all you get for now. We'll see what Genesis is up to next time probably from the eyes of Sable. Trust me, the villains are going to learn about each other's powers in a completely different, but entertaining way.**

 **So question time.**

 **1\. Which match did you enjoy most?**

 **2\. Who would you bet your money on if there were no rules or holding back?**


End file.
